How to Plan a Workshop

Start now!

  1. Gather information.
  2. Plan several months ahead of time; preferably start planning this year for next year.
  3. Decide what type of speaker and workshop you are interested in planning.
  4. Locate Speaker and contact them, via e-mail, snail mail, by phone, or in person.
  5. Get tentative dates the speaker is available.

Ask the Speaker(s)

  1. If there is availability for a workshop this year, and then specifically for a particular month?
  2. Type of workshops offered.
  3. Suggested ages for each workshop
  4. Length of time needed for each workshop
  5. If a deposit is needed
  6. If there is a deadline date to reserve your conference
  7. If there is a deadline date for cancellation and refund of the deposit
  8. Approximate costs
    1. Transportation costs
    2. Housing costs
    3. Food expenses
    4. A fee they recommend charging for the workshop
  1. Type of equipment needed, i.e. # of tables, chairs, audiovisuals, pencils, sharpeners, etc.
  2. Are these additional to the overall cost of the workshop or are they included?
  3. Type of facility needed, i.e. size.
  4. How much time is needed to set up and clean up?
  5. Will they need volunteers to help them set up?
  6. How many people will they need to do this?
  7. How should you contact the speaker prior to the trip?
  8. Where would they like to meet you?
  9. Food
    1. Will they accept meal preparation by our group instead of paying eating expenses?
    2. If so, are there any health conditions or food allergies we should know about?
  1. Supervision
    1. Are parents allowed to attend the workshop?
    2. Is parent supervision necessary?
    3. Must they sit with their child?
    4. Can another parent bring and supervise a child or children if they are not her own?
  1. Housing

Can the speaker be housed to avoid lodging expenses?
    1. If so, how many beds are needed?
    2. How many persons will be attending?
    3. Can they share a room?
    4. Are there certain things they will not tolerate?

Decide if you want a nursery, so you look for this with the building.

  1. If so, you will need to find out if there are sitters available and willing to do this. Are there parents willing to do this?
  2. If so, ask the person you contact who schedules the building space how many children the nursery can hold? If it is a church, will they allow you to use it? Is there an age limit you wish to set?
  3. If you are organizing babysitting for the event, it is suggested that you assign this task to someone else to arrange. Ask them to report back to you by a certain date with commitments.

Check on possible buildings for workshop (and nursery availability, if applicable).

  1. Inquire about building fees and available dates.
  2. Reserve a date now, if possible.
  3. Check with your President regarding any funding available for this event. You can use this amount to determine admission fee for the workshop. It will also let you know if there is any money you can put toward snacks that you may wish to make available in the building during the workshop, especially if it lasts for several hours. i.e., Coffee, creamer, sugar, cookies, paper goods, beverages, etc.

Lodging

  1. Set up lodging reservations, ASAP.

    2. If hotel reservations are needed, reserve the room or rooms needed as soon as you have the dates.

    If a deposit is needed before the workshop, or if money has not been collected, ask the Treasurer

    to write a check to give the hotel to hold your reservation.

    Note: You should already know how much money is allotted in the budget for this before reaching

    this step.

  2. If the speaker will be housed,
    1. Ask if anyone in the group can house the Speaker(s). Have a deadline date to organize this by in order to proceed with planning.
    1. Have a back up housing plan; in case problems arise that are unforeseen, such as a move or injury or illness.
    2. Have directions available to the house of the family housing the speaker(s).
    3. If more than one house will be involved, it is suggested you assign the housing responsibilities to another person. Have them report to you with solidified housing arrangements by a specific date.
    4. DO NOT PROCEED with planning the workshop if you do not have these things solidified first!

Meals

  1. Expenses- Have the Treasurer distribute a check to you to give to the Speaker for meal expenses upon arrival that were previously agreed upon with them. Or, you may wish to do this yourself if you collected the money for the workshop in your name instead of BRCHE, or if BRCHE does not cover this.
  2. If volunteer families will provide meals, it is suggested that you assign the task of meal planning to another person to organize. Give them a deadline date they should have meal preparation solidified by and this information in to you.
  3. Tell the person planning meals to let all families know of any food allergies, preferences, or diet considerations the speaker may have. Meal planner must also solidify when and where meals will be dropped off.
  4. For those hosting this event or housing the speaker, try to avoid having these people doing the meal preparation also.

Final Planning

  1. Call the speaker a few days prior to arrival date to confirm workshop plans, if able.
  2. Be available to help with setting up, entering the building, and answering any questions.
  3. If possible, hand out an evaluation form after the event to encourage group feedback.
  4. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

Last Updated September 2, 2000 10:00 PM

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