Mid Adolescence is the longest and most defining stage in the ERG Movement Model. It typically spans a minimum of two years, and for many programs, extends well beyond that. This is where real community-building begins—and where most of the work happens.

The program is no longer new. The structure is set. The ERGs are active. Now the question becomes:

Can you create a community that consistently meets the needs of your members—and keeps them coming back?

That’s what this phase is about: getting great at community-building. Not just hosting events, but learning the skill of creating spaces that resonate with a broad, diverse membership base. The kind of spaces that spark connection, deepen belonging, and drive the metrics that actually matter.

This Is Where the Real Work Begins

At this point, ERGs aren’t figuring out how to operate—they’re working on doing it well, and doing it consistently. That means:

• A wide variety of programming that reflects the full spectrum of member interests
• Regular rhythm and repetition in planning and execution
• Events, initiatives, and comms that members actually care about
• Clear ties between ERG activity and your program’s North Star metric (which is often, but not always, engagement)

ERG leaders should be using the tools, training, and processes introduced in Infancy and reinforced in Early Adolescence—but now with more confidence, and with a higher bar. You’re not just active—you’re accountable for resonance.

Not Every Win Means You’re Ready

A common trap in this phase: thinking one successful initiative means the program is ready for the next stage.

It’s not.

Real growth is measured by what can be repeated, scaled, and sustained—not what went well once.

Some companies try to skip this stage by rebranding their ERGs into “BRGs” or adding new layers of executive oversight. But changing the name doesn’t change the reality. If your engagement isn’t improving, and your ERG leaders are still overloaded, then what you’ve built hasn’t matured—it’s just been renamed.

The ERG Program Manager’s Role: Track, Test, and Build Institutional Memory

Mid Adolescence is not just about what ERG leaders are doing. It’s about what the ERG Program Manager is documenting, adjusting, and improving behind the scenes.

In this phase, the ERG PM should focus on:

• Tracking engagement consistently, including member activity, attendance, and content performance
• Iterating on existing processes based on what’s working and what’s slowing things down
• Developing a Programming Bank—a centralized space that captures the events, communications, and initiatives that have been executed, along with key details and outcomes
• Noting best practices as they emerge, and making them easy for current and future leaders to reference

This documentation becomes a critical tool for succession, consistency, and program evolution.

The Metric That Matters

This is the stage where you truly start to measure engagement—not just attendance, but depth of participation. Not just who shows up, but whether it made a difference.

Your Member Engagement Score, Event Engagement Score, and Comms Engagement Score help illuminate what’s working. And if your North Star metric is well-aligned, these scores should reflect movement in the right direction.

When done well, Mid Adolescence is the moment where ERG members stop feeling like occasional attendees—and start seeing themselves as part of a community.

The work in this phase is often invisible. But it’s where the culture of the ERG program is truly shaped. Mid Adolescence isn’t flashy—but it’s what makes programs last.

Get great at this stage, and everything that comes next becomes easier. Skip it—or try to shortcut it—and everything that comes next feels harder than it has to be.

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