Checklist for Organising Workshops (Seminars, Conferences and other events)

Transcription

1 Natura 2000 Netwrking Prgramme n behalf f the Eurpean Cmmissin Natura 2000 Netwrking Prgramme managed in partnership by prject partners EUROPARC Federatin, Eursite and Eurpean Landwners Organizatin (ELO) Checklist fr Organising Wrkshps (Seminars, Cnferences and ther events) Planning the Wrkshp Frmulate and define theme(s) and subjects f event; Agree and set dates; Recruit rganising wrking grup(s) ensure supprt within yur rganisatin; Recruit cnference staff/assistants. Financial Planning Determine budget list all csts and identify surces f funding/ incme t cver the fllwing items; Hire f venues; Catering meals, lunches, tea and cffee breaks etc.; Cnference statinery; Translatin services and equipment; Evaluatin reprt and publicatin f results f wrkshp; Lcal accmmdatin fr nn-paying delegates; Transprt requirements e.g. shuttle bus t/ frm venue; transprt fr site visits; Opprtunity t prvide bursaries and cver the csts f participants with apprpriate backgrunds and/ r experience that wuld be useful t include and help achieve the wrkshp bjectives. Ntes: This list is by n means exhaustive, nr is it intended t cver every situatin. It is prvided t start the thinking prcess invlved in budgeting fr a wrkshp. Each event will have its wn circumstances and cnsideratins, vary in terms f scale and scpe regarding what the event is aiming t achieve/ wh it is being prvided fr, and have different capacities fr absrbing csts r passing them n t individual delegates. Hwever, a budget is essential, in rder t arrive at the ttal cst f the event, think thrugh all elements f the wrkshp and arrive at a cst per delegate. This is essential fr all wrkshps, but especially fr thse events where there is n pprtunity t legitimately access available prject funding t cver specific items. Smetimes, it is a cnditin f funding t demnstrate hw and in what practical ways, participants frm target areas/ target grups have been enabled t attend a wrkshp fr example, this is the case fr LIFE prjects, a cnditin f funding being t cmmunicate the results and/ r funding t a wide Eurpean audience. Cntact ptential funders; Establish apprpriate systems t cntrl and accunt fr all financial transactins. This must include, as a minimum, a list f cnfirmed registered participants detailing the amunt paid and when this was received; 1

2 Targeting the Right Audience Prepare a brief persn specificatin the type f peple yu think will benefit mst frm attending; Recruit chairpersns Invite VIPs and ther fficials Invite speaker fr pening address Invite keynte speakers Determine wh is welcming VIPs and ther fficials Recruit pening address and keynte speakers, and panellists. Registratin and Mailing Wrkshp registratin set deadline; Cnfirm methd fr registratin nrmally by r the mailing address fr registratin frms; Create registratin frm, thinking thrugh all essential infrmatin required be critical and lk at this frm the pint f view f recipients easy t cmplete? / clear and unambiguus?; With reference t the budget, establish the registratin fee and think abut: Late registratin fees; Discunt fees fr students etc; Bursaries; Depsits and final payments (deadline); Specify preferred currency and methd(s) f payment include bank accunt details and ther required infrmatin fr internatinal mney transfers; Cancellatin and refund cnditins. Final registratin Ensure all registratin frms received have been prcessed and reslve any queries; Send final cnfirmatin f registratin t participants; Cmpile final list f registered participants; Reprt updated list f participants t cnvener(s); Prduce name badges with participant's first name, family name and cuntry f rigin; Prduce name badges fr wrkshp staff; Final Mailing Cntents f final mailing: Wrkshp title, dates, lcatin; Descriptin f wrkshp venue (facilities); Pstal address, telephne and fax numbers, address f lead cntact; Receptin arrangements and registratin desk pening hurs; Htel and ther accmmdatin details and lcatins relative t wrkshp venue a map is always useful; Any ff-site wrkshp venues and arrangements fr lcal transprt etc: Cmmunicatin and Prmtin Cnfirm all acknwledgements, including lgs t be included n all material fr the wrkshp flyers, reprts, adverts, website annuncements, psters etc; Prepare a brief descriptin f the event and use as the basis fr internal cmmunicatin (within yur wn rganisatin); Cmpile mailing list f specialist/trade jurnals; Cmpile mailing list f peple useful t invite a hit list f peple desirable t have attend, e.g. natinal fficials, EU fficials, specialists etc; Recruit graphic designer t help with prductin f prmtinal material; Create first annuncement/wrkshp flyer, including challenge, utcme, venue, date and pre-registratin deadline; Print first annuncement circular and pre-registratin frm; Mail first annuncement circular and pre-registratin frm; Ensure links established n apprpriate websites as an utlet fr news abut the wrkshp. 2

3 Lgistical Matters Identify suitable wrkshp site and venue take int accunt remteness f venue and ease f travel t and frm venue fr internatinal participants; Determine the need fr break-ut rms and their capacities; Negtiate prices and requirements and prvisin f equipment with venue staff check scpe fr delegate day rate and reduced cst/ n cst fr meeting rms etc; Take ptins n selected wrkshp venues make prvisinal bkings wherever pssible; Recruit wrking grup(s) and/r cmmittee(s); Verify htel-bking arrangements it strngly recmmended that participants are respnsible fr bking their wn flights and accmmdatin. (The nly exceptin may be t ffer t bk accmmdatin fr invited guests.) A list f cnvenient, lcal accmmdatin with a range f prices shuld be prvided; Where transfer t the venue fr the wrkshp is beneficial and pssible, check incming and utging train/ flights times etc and make apprpriate arrangements (caches/ buses/ taxis etc.). Fr all participants, describe hw t get t venue f wrkshp frm main pints f arrival; Check and arrange special transprt fr fficials and/ r delegates frm and t airprts etc.; Determine catering facilities (cffee, tea, drinks, snacks, lunches, dinners, cnference dinner) and likely requirements; Hire caterer - verify special meal requirements (dietary, vegetarian, ksher etc., extra csts); Cntact suppliers f apprpriate prmtinal items bags, pens, hats etc! Cntact lcal turist infrmatin agency Determine events fr evening and pprtunities fr scial interactin facilities fr disabled 3

4 Planning and Preparing the Prgramme While develping the prgramme and its cntent, remember t check, where apprpriate, the fllwing elements: Cnfirm wh will make the pening address and welcme; Plenary sessins; Parallel wrking sessins/ break-ut grups; Pster and display set-up; Time within venue required t mve frm ne lcatin t anther etc.; Transprtatin and hw t get t the cnference site: by air, train, lcal public transprt, car: Prvide clear, cncise rute descriptins; Hw and where t get tickets fr public transprt indicate ptins and ticket prices; Cnsider shuttle transprt frm and t terminals (airprt, railway statin) may be a cst, but it can be very helpful in stpping peple getting lst and delaying the prgramme!; Timing f the call fr papers, psters and abstracts Deadline fr submissin f abstracts/ speaker bigraphies etc fr inclusin in pre-wrkshp infrmatin; Availability f r need fr guidelines fr presenters/ speakers amngst ther things this shuld cnfirm; Length and duratin f presentatins; Respnsibilities f the speakers befre and after the presentatin; Advice n audience numbers, descriptin f venue and technical facilities; Guidelines n display facilities fr infrmatin and literature abut participating rganisatins and their wrk psters, flyers, reprts etc. Cnfirm things such as: Size f display areas / pster bards Munting system at pster bards Arrangements t set-up and dismantle displays Preferred frmats fr text, lettering, banners etc; Pst wrkshp reprting: Give clear advice n editrial requirements; Cnfirm a deadline fr submissin f reprts. Cnsider the need fr receptins, depending n when any fficials, special invitees r dignitaries, fr example, are arriving; Preparatins, venue, style, frmat and timing etc f a cnference dinner. (Remember t cnfirm date, lcatin, timing etc, and cnsider all csts and wh will cver them within the available budget. A spnsr may be apprpriate fr this, especially as it is likely t be ineligible expenditure fr mst funders.); Apprpriate entertainment; Parking facilities (parking lt, tickets); Transprt t and frm cnference venue and htels. Additinal Infrmatin, which may be f use t participants Electricity (vltage, plug-scket system) Telephne/fax/ facilities fr participants Public telephne facilities (cards, cins, tkens) Phtcpy facilities Emergency numbers (plice, fire, ambulance) Medical services Climate in the wrkshp perid and advice fr participants n clthing; Mney - currency infrmatin, exchange facilities etc.; Access t cash dispensers and credit card facilities; Need fr each individual t ensure they have their wn travel insurance; Visa requirements and a clear statement that it is the respnsibility f each individual participant t ensure they secure the apprpriate visa. 4

5 Cnventin Statinary Apart frm the cntents f the wrkshp pack, nly badges are essential in the fllwing list. The ther items listed here are subject t available budget and the scale f the event being planned; Badges with clip/pin cmbinatin; Pens (r ther prmtinal materials); Flders; Clip bards; Event (cnference) bags. [Nte fr rdering purpses, the number t rder = participants + keynte speakers + wrkshp staff + press + assistants + spnsrs + sme spares.] Wrkshp Pack Cntents Nte paper; Up-t-date prgramme; Speaker bigraphies; List f participants; Up-t-date lgistical infrmatin; Cpy f evaluatin frm. Venue Related Activities Signs t meeting rms and ther areas; Prepare display area fr prmtinal stands etc; Set-up registratin desk and ensure access t telephne, phtcpiers, printers, first-aid supplies etc; Take statinery bx pens, marker pens, scissrs, tape, blue-tac, paper, pst-its etc. as well as last minute registratin frms, public transprt time tables, city map and a list f all staff and their mbile phne numbers; Cnfirm arrangements fr messages a message bard is ften useful; Ensure wrkshp staff are familiar with emergency evacuatin prcedures, tilets and ther services etc; C-rdinate the timing f cffee/tee breaks and meal services C-rdinate staffing f the registratin desk C-rdinate assistance in the meeting rms Briefing with wrkshp venue staff Meet and greet arrangements fr speakers, especially t prvide technical supprt fr thse making presentatins; Brief chairpersns and all speakers. Meeting Rms(s) Cnfirm requirements fr break-ut discussin r meeting rms flip-charts, white bard(s) and special markers; Ensure glasses f water and/r sft drinks fr chairpersns, speakers and panel members; Check seating and rm-layut has been arranged as required, as far in advance as pssible f individual prgramme elements; Cnsider need fr interpreter bths. 5

6 Translatin Requirements and Facilities Determine lead language fr the wrkshp mst cmmnly this is English fr internatinal events; Determine need f interpreters and the number f languages t be translated Cntact translatin equipment prvider fr price ffer Discuss number f necessary interpreters based n estimate participatin levels and als the range f languages fr which a translatin service will be prvided; Agree the need fr interpreter bths and their lcatins in meeting rm(s); Determine translatin equipment; Negtiate and cnfirm all translatin requirements in a cntract agreement with translatin services prvider; Verify arrangements/ requirements fr bard and ldging fr interpreters; Prvide interpreters with cpies f all frmal papers in advance f the wrkshp, including cpies f the prgramme and agendas fr any meetings taking place as part f the wrkshp. Phtgraph(s) Lk thrugh the entire prgramme and cnsider when and where it wuld be useful t have phtgraphs; Make cntact and enter an agreement with a phtgrapher this may be a lcal member f staff rather than an fficial phtgrapher t keep csts as lw as pssible, but, fr frmal events, especially invlving fficials and dignitaries, a prfessinal phtgrapher is wrth cnsidering; If cntracted-ut, this shuld be a written cnfirmatin, including: 1. acceptance f ffer 2. cnference site 3. shting date and time 4. estimated grup size 5. size and number f phtgraphs required 6. black and white r clured 7. delivery date If the cnference site has n huse phtgrapher, the invlved phtgrapher shuld visit the cnference site in advance t determine the best in- and utdr shting sites Press Releases/ Press Cnference Draft press releases and cnsider means f disseminatin via participants, wn media cntacts, thse f thers participating. This can be a very frmal expectatin and requirements, especially fr visiting dignitaries and fficials; Cmpile mailing list fr press release Cnsider the need fr a press cnference - site, date and time Determine a lead cntact (fficial) spkespersn; Make arrangements fr press t interview VIPs, fficials, speakers, etc. Other Infrmatin With the pssible exceptin f speakers r invited dignitaries, rganisers shuld encurage participants t bk their wn accmmdatin as it saves a huge amunt f wrk fr wrkshp rganisers. Hwever, it is helpful t cmpile a list f lcal htels and ther accmmdatin available within easy walking r travelling distance f the wrkshp venue. This shuld aim t cver a range f budgets and prvide a link t apprpriate websites etc; Fr all pssible accmmdatin, prvide the fllwing infrmatin: Name, address, telephne and fax numbers, address; Distance t cnference venue; Public transprt t cnference venue; Last public transprt services (wrking days, Saturday, Sunday) frm wrkshp venue. 6

7 Additinal cnsideratins fr the fllwing types f accmmdatin may apply: 1. Student Residences: Availability f single, and duble rms; What t bring - e.g. sheets, twels, sleeping bag; Breakfast and ther meal facilities; Other facilities; 2. Yuth Hstel(s): Availability f single and duble rms, and drmitries; What t bring: sheets, twels, sleeping bag, tilet paper; Availability f rental sheets; Breakfast and ther meal facilities; Other facilities; The pinin expressed in this dcument are thse f the authrs and d nt necessarily reflect the views f the Eurpean Cmmissin 7