Event Toolkit Practical guidance for running an event

Event Toolkit Practical guidance for running an event. April 2016 Anne Wilsdon

WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THIS GUIDANCE? Contents • Introduction • Running a regional event • How can EFS support you? • Suggested content • Some exercise ideas • Event Marketing • Following your regional event 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 2

INTRODUCTION 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 3

RUNNING A REGIONAL EVENT What do I need to think about? • Your invite - EFS can support you in setting up an Eventbrite page to register attendees • A venue to host your event – free if possible. Consider tapping into other networks with similar purpose and values. • A projector and screen • An opening speaker – someone engaging who has a good story to share! • An invite list in mind, and access to local networks of people to advertise your event • Think about your session – will you need flipcharts, pens, any other props etc • The commitment to help organise your event and feedback the outcomes to the wider practitioner group • Facilitators to help you with some of the activities, including welcome / reception • Energy and enthusiasm! 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 4

SUPPORT IS ON HAND…. EFS can share learning from previous events and be on hand to support you when planning Provide space and support on the Engage for Success website for you to add your event to our calendar Use our extensive marketing and communication channels to advertise your event Provide relevant video clips & resources e. g. intro of the 4 enablers Provide advice and guidance from others in the movement Provide consistent Power. Point slides, information and resources The freedom to shape your local networks and follow up activities as you choose Peer support and case studies on engagement Share our passion and energy to get you buzzing before your event! 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 5

Event Costs Where possible EFS try to organise free events. That entails finding a free venue, and free refreshments. These logistical issues can be difficult but here are some ideas which may help: First of all ask members of our community, if they have a free venue they could offer We can also ask our subscriber list if any of them can help with a venue in a particular location on our weekly newsletter We can approach out Taskforce members to see if they can help with a venue We could work in collaboration with another organisation for example in the past few months we have worked with CIPD, and Change Management Institute to organise events. You may want to consider sponsorship for an event, though be careful that this is not to endorse a particular product or service, but rather to provide something which we need. Often Universities or colleges provide cost effective meeting rooms, and we can offer to showcase or highlight research they have carried out on engagement in return. If all else fails we would consider a small charge for tickets to the event, but just to recover our costs e. g. venue hire, rather than to create a revenue stream.

SUGGESTED RUNNING ORDER We want you to own your event and bring your own creativity and ideas to make the event a success, but here are some ideas or pointers…. . • Welcome everyone - domestics • Introduction to Engage for Success • An Overview of the four enablers of Engagement • An Interactive Session to get people thinking about engagement and committing to take action • Time for reflection and what has been learnt. • A call to action – how can you get involved in Engage for Success • Networking time If you would prefer more information please contact anne@engageforsuccess 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 7

EXERCISE IDEA This activity increases knowledge and awareness of the Four Enablers of Engagement identified in the original Engaging For Success report. It should be high energy and somewhat chaotic! It’s a great opportunity for people to share success stories and pick up tips from other organisations. • Write one of each of the four enablers at the top of a flipchart in a corner of the room • Have a briefed facilitator on each flipchart to manage the conversation and make notes • Show the Four Enablers video, and brief people about the exercise – they are going to visit all the flip charts and discuss the Enablers • Attendees talk about best practice in their organisations, barriers to that enabler happening, tools for overcoming difficulties, share ideas and suggestions, practical applications of the enablers, different interpretations • Ensure someone is circulating, reminding attendees they can move around the 4 flipcharts 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 8

EXERCISE IDEAS CONTINUED Your One Key Engagement Challenge The objective of this exercise is to give people a chance both to give and gain support from their peers to tackle engagement challenges • Split into groups as established in the exercise above (max 8) • Allocate a facilitator to each table • One person in the groups goes first, and takes 1 minute to state their primary engagement challenge • Each person on the table offers advice, help and a suggestion for improvement, or sympathy • The person whose challenge it is, cannot respond to the feedback, just listen • When the whistle blows, it is the next person’s turn to say their key engagement challenge, then listen to ideas, suggestions and feedback 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 9

EVENT MARKETING • EFS can help you to create an online registration page for your event on Eventbrite – this link can then be used in all social media channels • Your event can also be entered to the Events calendar of our EFS website • Consider creating an hashtag# for your event and encourage attendees to tweet during the event • If possible take photos of your event which can be used for marketing post event • Encourage attendees to join our mailing list by clicking on the link on the top right hand corner of our homepage • Ensure the community manager is aware of your event so that it can be marketed on our weekly newsletter and social media channels • Consider tapping into other networks who have the same purpose and values 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 10

FOLLOWING YOUR EVENT Write up the feedback and key themes and share some photos from your event to send to anne@engageforsuccess. org This is a great way to raise the profile of your engagement community to others in your area Encourage people to connect to Engage For Success via social media Agree follow up actions for your region, arrange to meet colleagues, make a date Keep in touch with your new connections via Linked. In, the website, email and phone calls Let you know how it went and how we can best support you in future events. We are here to help! 07/03/2021 PRESENTATION TITLE IN FOOTER 11