How to Run a Regional Gathering

Transition Scotland Support How to... organise a Regional Gathering How to... organise a Regional Gathering www.transitionscotland.org.uk 1 Transition Scotland Support How to... organise a Regional Gathering Contents Introduction 3 Food and refreshments 14 Meat or veggie Before you start Special diets Roles and tasks On the day 15 Money 5 Setting out the room Other spaces you’re likely to Planning 6 need in the room Setting the theme Contact list Who’s doing what? Stuff you may need on the day ‘Vibes’ (man) Roles you may need on the day Walking it through Keeping a record Mopping up Venue 7 Practicalities – a checklist of things to ask the venue Resources 18 Draft welcome letter Publicity 8 and programme Internet Draft booking form Posters Draft feedback questionnaire Using the media Group work resources Press releases (how to do Open Space, Car sharing World Cafe and 6 Hat Thinking) Programme 9 To Do list Speakers Recipes Time keeping How to write a press release Things to set up in advance (by George Monbiot) Participation Other resources Breaking the ice Mapping Setting up 1 to 1s Kids 13 Childcare options Checklist for childcare rooms Other things to take into account Contact us www.transitionscotland.org/tss [email protected] Photos used with kind permission of Andrew Jones, PEDAL, Transition Town Forres, Chris Booth, Urban Roots, Transition Black Isle (Andrew Dowsett), Sharon Pruitt (a Flickr user whose image we used under a Creative Commons Attribution License), Bespoke Organic Events 2 Transition Scotland Support How to... organise a Regional Gathering Introduction rganising a regional In my experience just thank your lucky stars gathering can feel like Transitioners are an amazing that you’re starting off from Oa big deal. It’s true bunch of people, and in every a position of more experience that there’s a fair amount of single Transition gathering than I was! I hope at least work involved, but it can be I’ve been to, it’s the people some of this is useful, and useful to think about it in its who come along that make it: wish you all the very best most basic form: a gathering they’re intelligent, inspiring, with whatever event you’re is just a bunch of people G\QDPLFFRQßGHQWDQGNLQG planning. spending the day together. To some extent the more Who, what, where, when you just let them get on with Although this has now and how are the details this doing what they want to the become rather a weighty guide is intended to help EHWWHUOHVVLVGHßQLWHO\PRUH tome, I hope that I’ve \RXßOOLQEXWLWÖVLPSRUWDQW managed to keep it to remember that it’s really I have tried to put down straightforward and easy quite a simple thing you’re everything I’ve learned over to read. If you have any doing here: joining up people the past couple of years of comments or feedback that who care about preparing organising Transition events. could help make it better or for the transition to a lower It’s been a steep learning more helpful, do get in touch. energy future, and who want curve for me, and if I’ve to take action to make their included things that seem All the best, communities better places. blindingly obvious to you, Eva Before you start onsider seriously who are willing to share the whether your group load and put time and energy Chas enough time and into the proceedings. energy to manage a regional gathering. Have a read Roles and tasks though this booklet before It can be helpful to divide you decide – or at least have up the work according to a look at the to do list on the different bits that need page 25. doing. Below are some of the Planning roles and tasks you’ll need to You should aim to end up You should have at least think about. Obviously these with a brief (1 paragraph) 3 people (around 10 at don’t all have to be done by but clear piece of writing that most) who have agreed to separate people – some of says why you’re meeting and take this project on as their them don’t have to be done at what you’ve intending to do main responsibility. If it all – but they’re all possible at the event, which can be all falls on one person’s parts of your event. The rest used in the publicity. This shoulders, they’re likely to of this booklet is really just group will also need to ‘walk feel exhausted and quite expanding on the following through’ the event shortly possibly resentful by the end roles (but also have a look before it happens, so that of it. The process can be get at the list on p15 in ‘On the everyone involved knows intense at times, and it’s really Day. what’s happening where, important that there’s a team when and how. of people in the ‘host’ group 3 Transition Scotland Support How to... organise a Regional Gathering Programming have the right space and Kids Setting out the shape of the equipment at the venue. For Organising childcare; day, deciding on the activities refreshments; deciding on checking childcare room and that will best achieve your what you want to offer and materials; possibly gathering aims, deciding on speakers gathering it together; either toys and games for the kids; and/or workshop leaders (if serving people, or making creating a clear booking-in you’re having them), inviting sure that there’s enough process for families; getting WKHPßQGLQJRXWZKDW of everything on the table; disclosure sorted; making equipment or other needs remembering about special sure childcare workers know they have and providing a diets (see page 14). where to go and have what point of contact for them, they need (see page 13). creating the programme Registration (page 18) which will go in the Checking that everyone who Car sharing info for participants. arrives is recorded; taking ,I\RXUYHQXHLVDWDOOGLIßFXOW details from people who’ve to get to, it can really be worth Venue not booked; booking kids àDJJLQJXSFDUVKDULQJWR Finding the right place; into childcare if you’ve got it; people coming along (see page booking and paying for it; giving people copies of the 9). being the contact person for programme (sample on page the owners; co-ordinating 18) and any other materials Welcoming setting up the room/s and they will need including a Greeting people; showing tidying away at the end. feedback questionnaire (sample them to registration; showing on page 20), if you’re using them to teas and coffees/ Publicity one; creating a contact list to where ever they’re waiting Writing up information for circulate afterwards. for the event to begin; making inviting people along, and for sure latecomers know what’s the press; making sure that Overview happening. information about the event Keeping an eye on the whole is clear, engaging and that process of the day; making sure Evaluation LWÖVHDV\WRßQGRXWGHWDLOV that any problems are spotted This can really help if you like train times as well as and dealt with as soon as ever run another event, and when and where the event is possible; being aware of what’s may be required if your event happening; thinking about coming up next and making is funded. It’s probably networks and other channels sure everything’s lined up easiest to do this with a short for getting your information ready for it to happen. questionnaire (sample at the to the right people. back on page 20), and you’re Keeping a record most likely to get responses in Food and refreshments 7DNLQJSKRWRVRUßOPLQJWKH if you give people 5 minutes to Co-ordinating food - either event; making sure that all ßOOLWLQDWWKHHQGRIWKHGD\ PDNLQJLWRUßQGLQJSHRSOH bits of writing are recorded to do that. Making sure you and put on line or typed up; creating a report of the event. 4 Transition Scotland Support How to... organise a Regional Gathering Money nother important Insurance The main thing you need to factor to think about Most venues are already know with funders is: what Ais how you’re going insured, so hopefully this are their aims? If you can to pay for your event. Your won’t be an issue. If it is, show them how you are going biggest expenditures are you may need to get Public to help them meet their aims, likely to be venue and food. Liability insurance. You can you’re half way there. Local Many of the sections later get this on a one off basis (it’s authorities in particular, have on in this booklet also have called ‘event insurance’), but targets that they are obliged ideas about how to do things if you’re at all likely to want WRPHHWVRßQGRXWZKDWWKH\ for free or very little, and you to run another event (or even are, and consider how you can keep it very low budget, have a stall at someone else’s could show how your event but you’re likely to have some event), it can be very useful will help to meet them. This outgoings. to get it for a year - it won’t PD\QRWEHDGLIßFXOWMREDV cost you that much more. many of the targets for local Funders need to know authorities are social and that your group is able to Getting a grant environmental. manage the money that If you’re going to go down they give you, and that this route, you’ll need a bank Other ways of getting cash you will be able to show afterwards that you did account with 2 signatories Fundraising events can be good stuff with it.

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