TIPS FOR PLANNING AN EVENT
DESIGNING THE EVENT
Plan for Participation
Build in a lot of opportunities for participants to draw on their own experiences, add their own perspectives, and dialogue with each other. Use discussion questions, exercises, games, music and creative expression to boost participation.
Leave them Wanting More
Don't pack your events with too much information or too many activities. Try planning something short with one focus and if you do it well people will be inclined to return. A series of short events may be more popular to attend than one long one. People appreciate events that start and end on time.
Be Creative and Have Fun!
Do something new and different - for example, invite a local artist to teach a new skill that can be incorporated into justice -making activity. Design an event that You would like to attend!
DRAWING PARTICIPANTS
Go Where the People Are: instead of adding on extracurricular events in the hope of attracting the uncommitted, participate in existing programs. Get yourself invited to regularly scheduled events and offer to add a workshop or display or worship service with a PWRDF focus.
Get People Committed Through Involvement: People will come to an event if they have a part to play and a contribution to make. Share the planning of your event and draw people in to support roles - as musicians, cooks, artists, hosts, liturgists - draw on local talent. Ask people to do what they are already good at, instead of putting them on the spot in an uncomfortable role.
ASSESSING IMPACT
Learn From Your Experience Take the time to have an evaluation process following your activities and event. Measure the impact of your activites against your original intentions. Did you achieve your desired results? Consider both quantitative - how many people were affected or influence - and qualitative information - what did people like or dislike, what went well or not so well, what evidence is there that social change is occurring? Refer back to your evaluation notes when planning your next activity.
