Bringing People Together for Your Cause

Events are a good way of sharing information, networking with other people, and developing ideas to support your advocacy process.

There are a few important things to keep in mind when organising an event.

Purpose and Objective

Before you decide to hold an event, you need to determine what your objective is – what are you trying to achieve through this event? Sometimes your objective might be quite general, such as simply sharing information, and other times it might be more specific, such as asking for contributions to a policy document. Understanding your reason behind organising the event will determine the kind of activities you have, the people you invite, and the way you communicate with them.

Audience, size and activities 

Events can range enormously – it can be a simple gathering in your home, or a large gathering at a community hall. You also need to think about the activities people will be doing at the event – will they simply be listening to a speaker or is there a different way they will be engaged in? Have a clear idea of who you want to attend and what you want them to do.

Organisation

All events require organisation – you will need to arrange a time, venue, information, materials, and activities. Start by making a list of all the things you will need and how you will arrange everything. If your event is large, you may need other people to help you.

Hosting the event

Hosting can be both exciting and stressful. Remember, the most important thing is to stay focused – be clear about what you are trying to achieve and do your best to help generate ideas and discussion. Be confident and trust yourself – you have done the research, you are developing the skills, and you will become even more effective as you go.