The Tribune

As we progress in our careers, move from one industry to another, and seek both promotions and raises, continued education becomes a priority for many of us.

For some, this requires a return to university for advanced degrees, for some it is certifications that may be done in-person or online, and for many people it is getting practical experience, learning from the experiences of others, being exposed to new approaches and ideas, and expanding networks.

For people who want to build and deepen knowledge, it is important to participate in trainings, workshops, and conferences. These undertakings can also be helpful for network building and developing new partnerships. Funders and organisers usually put significant effort into planning and workshopping the content of these events, promoting the events, selecting participants, and managing logistics. There is often less attention on the day-to-day experiences of the participants during the event, and this can result in unsatisfactory experiences and issue that could have been avoided.

Here are nine key components to develop, share, and action during events to both make the most of the limited time participants have together and safeguard against common issues.

1 Preparatory material. Before the event, ensure that speakers and participants have all of the information and documentation they need for travel, access to accommodations, use of transportation services, and entering the venue. This includes the invitation letters to present to immigration, names of people who will greet them at airports, hotels, and venues, the national currency and per diem amounts where applicable, average temperature at that time of year, the average cost of a meal, accessibility features and services such as wheelchair accessible entrances and language interpretation, safety precautions, and needs for special events such as national dress and souvenirs from home countries. Make it as easy as possible for people to pack appropriately, and reduce the number of things they need to ask about or would otherwise by confused by as they wait for information to be shared.

2 Orientation. As unnecessary as it may be deemed by some, orientation is important, even if it is optional. Preparatory material is great, but things are often a bit different when everyone is in the same physical space. This is an opportunity to remind people of key points and add answers to the frequently asked questions. Where are the elevators and the stairs? Where are the restrooms? When will there be breaks, and for how long? Are the spaces for bilateral meetings, and are they first-come first-served or do they need to be booked in advance? Where are the welcome packs and name badges? Where is the breastfeeding and pumping station? How can people report harassment that occurs at the event? How can participants identify staff and volunteers? Share this information at the opening and reiterate key points at the beginning of each day. It is also helpful to have posters and a dedicated webpage with this information.

3 Community agreements. For large conferences, it is usually best for organizers to present guidelines and expectations to participants. These can be included in the welcome packet, posted on walls, and printed on the backs of badges for easy access. For smaller groups, it is good practices to engage participants in the process of developing community agreements or guidelines. These are usually short, simple phrases that are easy to remember, even if the ideas behind them are more complicated. “Be on time” and “Come prepared” are very clear and need no further explanation. Phrases like “Step up, step back” may be new for some people, so the explanation that people who speak often should be conscious of that and try to speak less frequently and for less time, and people who do not usually speak much should make the effort to contribute more. It is important that everyone is aware of the agreements/guidelines, commits to them, can reference them easily, and knows who to speak with when there are violations so that the issues can be addressed and, hopefully, resolved.

4 Non-negotiable items. Many things are often up for discussion during trainings, conferences, and workshops. When there is a specialised area of work, people tend to be interested in interrogating old and new ideas, challenging ways of thinking, and coming up with new ways of being and doing. There are some things, however, that need to be accepted as true, unchanging, and not up for debate, and these may vary from one industry or thematic area to another. Some non-negotiable items are becoming a standard across many areas of work. For example, anti-racism is a commitment and a way of working and sharing space that is not be questions or violated. This can also be integrated into the group agreements, and a person or team of people should be equipped to respond to complaints related to it.

5 Parking lot. This is used in many spaces, but usually not very well. The parking lot is a place to put questions and ideas that are off topic, but should or could be explored at another time due to its generally relevance to the event. One of the mistakes facilitators often make is never revisiting the parking lot to address whatever has been (temporarily) put there. Allocated time in the schedule to go back to items in the parking lots, moving them to planned sessions or addressing them on the spot.

6 Reasonable scheduling. Conferences, trainings, and workshops are often days-long and exhausting. It is difficult to keep the energy up and the brain function high during a week of a ten-hour days packed with back-to-back sessions. It is always a good idea to leave room for rest. One-hour lunches usually do not work well, especially when everyone has to go to the same place with a long line to be served. People will, without a doubt, be late to the next session. Lunch breaks are not just for eating lunch, but also for checking in with coworkers at the office, catching up with family members, and responding to emails.

To help people to be fully present while in sessions, ensure that they have time to get other things done, understanding that no one’s life stops for an event. It is also helpful to have time and, where possible, space allotted for networking. People will hear from speakers they would like to engage and meet other participants with whom they would like to share their work. Make it possible for people to connect while there, before returning to their regularly scheduled programs outside of the event. Without this opportunity, some people will try to follow up with each other later, but some will decide to step into the hallway to have conversations before they forget their points and lose business cards.

7 Flexibility. These events do not always go as planned. Especially in small groups, it can become clear that a particular session is too short, comes to early in the program, or is not as important as another. It is okay to make adjustments to meet the needs of the group. A programme that is responsive to the dynamics in the room and among the participants is sure to be more valuable and productive than one that is stringent and prescriptive.

8 Conflict resolution. It is better to have a plan that you do not need to put into action than to be without a plan when you need one. When an organiser brings people into a space, they assume the responsibility to ensure that people are safe and respected, and that any issues are addressed swiftly, safely, and in nonviolent ways. It is advisable for the organising team to identify issues that may arise and how they can be resolved. It is best to have at least one person who is trained in nonviolent communication and conflict resolution who can be called upon to address issues, mediate, find resolutions, and follow up with the involved parties.

9 Regular check-ins. Everyone may not offer their immediate feedback, but if you ask, people will tell you what is and is not going well. Are the sessions long enough? Are the breakout groups small enough? Would people like to go outside for one of the sessions? Is there too much use of jargon? Are there enough breaks? Maybe people need to be reminded to speak more slowly for the interpreters. Maybe it would be helpful to have more than one screen in the room so everyone can see the slides. Ask for feedback, use it to make and/or change plans, implement the revised plans, and reassess with the group. Participants should share ownership of the space, and this deepens their commitment to the event, to each other, and to the intended outcomes.