[OSList] Help please ~ In the invitation, how do I encourage participation in a whole multi-day event?

[Diane Gibeault]

Once people get a taste of the OS event, my experience is also that they tend to stay longer. So after some form of encouragement to attend the whole event as Michael suggests, I would add: "For those who nevertheless have to make a choice, we invite you to participate as early on as possible in the event so you can see what are the key moments for you." Among the topics posted, some burning issues may just affect their plans. 

This will keep interested those who do not need babysitting or prefer their employer not be contacted or do not wish to discuss their reasons 
...and it aligns with the spirit of the law of the two feet. 

Diane


________________________________
 From: Michael M Pannwitz <mmpannwitz at gmail.com>
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> 
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 9:50:52 AM
Subject: Re: [OSList] Help please ~ In the invitation, how do I encourage participation in a whole multi-day event?
 

Dear Chris,
How about including this part of your email in the invitation, slightly 
edited by me

"There has never been a meeting of this length in our community
before. We are all busy with work and kids, and some are asking,
"Can I just come to one or two of the days/sessions instead of all
three?"
Our meeting is part of a strategic planning process and includes both 
in-depth discussion and concrete project planning for our school and 
community.
Attending the entire meeting guarantees that you can introduce and 
discuss your issues and also shape the needed actions and projects.
If you want to come to the whole event but cant see how it is going to 
work for you, call us. We might help with baby-sitting, let your 
employer know about the need for you to be at the gathering...."

So, as sponsor, I would first try to frame the invitation and other ways 
of contacting potential participants for full-time participation.
AND invite people to call if they need assistance. AND I also have found 
that folks attending part time (never experienced that all come 
part-time) are taken in by the people at the event...

I have found (as facilitator) that people bringing their kids to such 
events is grand... just make sure there is some space for them and food 
and bathrooms and the participants seem to take care of it quite 
naturally (after all its open space in which selforganisation turns 
up)... and kids also are known to participate productively, they are an 
asset!

With schools and community events and others that involve volunteers I 
have experienced that a design on Friday afternoon (3pm until 7:30pm), 
Saturday (10 am to 5pm) and Sunday (best started with a light lunch at 
12:30, so that people dont have to cook) and action space from 1:30pm 
until 5pm allows people to be at the event full time without missing too 
much of work...

Have a grand time with your event!

Cheers
mmp

On 25.10.2013 12:13, Chris Weaver wrote:
> Hi OSlist,
>
> In the role of co-sponsor rather than facilitator, I am crafting an
> invitation to a multi-day "all-stakeholder" OST for a public school
> and its community.
>
> There has never been a meeting of this length in this community
> before. Everyone is busy with work and kids, and many are asking,
> "Can I just come to one or two of the days/sessions instead of all
> three?"
>
> The meeting is part of a strategic planning process and includes a
> convergence.  Continuity in this meeting will be a great asset.
>
> The sponsoring group can respond to this question of "Is it okay to
> just come for part of it?" in several ways:  in the invitation
> itself, on the online RSVP form (designing fields for people to sign
> up for part rather than whole), in conversation with people, and in
> other messages to the community (letter from board president &
> executive director, etc).
>
> If you were the sponsor or facilitator, how would you answer this
> question?
>
> Thanks! Chris
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000



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