How can I be
more creative?
How can I freely improvise, in a deep and truthful way?
How can I overcome my fear of the audience?
Guidelines for organising a workshop
Guidelines for making a show
Guidelines for changing the world
the empty space
HOW: guidelines
for...
...organising
a workshop
Here are guidelines for organizing a course in your area:
Is there an interest? About 6 months from when you want to start the workshop begin discussions in your local group to determine the interest for a workshop. Contact the workshop facilitator you are most interested in working with (see who) once you feel there is sufficient interest to proceed. Determine from the courses she indicates are available which one you decide would be the best. Determine availability and together work out a time for the workshop. In order to come to your location, there needs to be people confirmed as coming to the workshop.
Who Will Carry the Initiative? If sufficient interest seems present, ask for volunteers to be the local organizers of the course. One person needs to be the primary contact with Cheryl and Robert, one person needs to be willing to be the local Registrar, and one person needs to be willing to arrange mailings. The same person can be all three - but that takes quite a lot.
Get Ready for the Initial Mailing
Arrange with your facilitator to have specific brochures printed for your local course, with course description, dates, location, and costs. Set the following understandings with your facilitator: the minimum full pay registrations that make the course viable, the maximum number of people that will be accepted into the workshop, how concession requests will be handled, and any other details you can think of in advance. Prepare a booking form that can be returned. This form should include all relevant information such as deposit (usually 25-50%), total costs (usually £200 for a weeks workshop, £100 for a weekend) plus board and room if out-of-town people are invited, plus meal costs where relevant, place, dates, deadlines for registration, cancellation refund policies, etc. Then procure mailing lists. To get 12 people signed up, unless you have an intact group, plan to mail at least 500 brochures to people who you think would be interested. Work closely with your facilitator on this mailing as the Fools mailing list mailing list is divided into countries and can be part of the mailing. Make arrangements for the space that will be used for the workshop.
Sign up minimum number of Full Pay Bookings two months before the workshop, do the first mailing. Set a goal of having the minimum number of full-pay registrations in hand two months before the program. You should not consider a person registered until you have a completed booking form and a check for the deposit in hand. Although concession people may receive reductions in the course fee, they must submit the same deposit check as the full pays. If response is poor to your first mailing, if for example, you only have 5 registrations one month after the mailing - take immediate action! Do a second mailing, call your friends, speak to groups, do whatever is necessary to get a minimum number of full pay bookings. See yourself as a farmer who is plowing the ground - getting the conditions correct so that this wonderful workshop can occur.
Make a GO or NOGO Decision
At two months before the program, if you do not have the minimum number of full pay registrations, consult with your facilitator to determine the next step - usually deciding whether to go ahead or re-schedule. If you do have the minimum number of registrations, then set a hospitality committee. This group will be the hosts of the local workshop, arranging the details for the comfort of the people attending the course. This includes fresh flowers, paintings for the walls, snacks for breaks, etc.
Relax and Let Your Heart's be Strengthened
Your labors to prepare the way for a program to occur will be very rewarding indeed! Once a workshop has taken place, the facilitator will usually return at least once a year to do further workshops. The workshops after the first one pretty much go on their own.
Here are guidelines for organizing a course in your area:
Is there an interest? About 6 months from when you want to start the workshop begin discussions in your local group to determine the interest for a workshop. Contact the workshop facilitator you are most interested in working with (see who) once you feel there is sufficient interest to proceed. Determine from the courses she indicates are available which one you decide would be the best. Determine availability and together work out a time for the workshop. In order to come to your location, there needs to be people confirmed as coming to the workshop.
Who Will Carry the Initiative? If sufficient interest seems present, ask for volunteers to be the local organizers of the course. One person needs to be the primary contact with Cheryl and Robert, one person needs to be willing to be the local Registrar, and one person needs to be willing to arrange mailings. The same person can be all three - but that takes quite a lot.
Get Ready for the Initial Mailing
Arrange with your facilitator to have specific brochures printed for your local course, with course description, dates, location, and costs. Set the following understandings with your facilitator: the minimum full pay registrations that make the course viable, the maximum number of people that will be accepted into the workshop, how concession requests will be handled, and any other details you can think of in advance. Prepare a booking form that can be returned. This form should include all relevant information such as deposit (usually 25-50%), total costs (usually £200 for a weeks workshop, £100 for a weekend) plus board and room if out-of-town people are invited, plus meal costs where relevant, place, dates, deadlines for registration, cancellation refund policies, etc. Then procure mailing lists. To get 12 people signed up, unless you have an intact group, plan to mail at least 500 brochures to people who you think would be interested. Work closely with your facilitator on this mailing as the Fools mailing list mailing list is divided into countries and can be part of the mailing. Make arrangements for the space that will be used for the workshop.
Sign up minimum number of Full Pay Bookings two months before the workshop, do the first mailing. Set a goal of having the minimum number of full-pay registrations in hand two months before the program. You should not consider a person registered until you have a completed booking form and a check for the deposit in hand. Although concession people may receive reductions in the course fee, they must submit the same deposit check as the full pays. If response is poor to your first mailing, if for example, you only have 5 registrations one month after the mailing - take immediate action! Do a second mailing, call your friends, speak to groups, do whatever is necessary to get a minimum number of full pay bookings. See yourself as a farmer who is plowing the ground - getting the conditions correct so that this wonderful workshop can occur.
Make a GO or NOGO Decision
At two months before the program, if you do not have the minimum number of full pay registrations, consult with your facilitator to determine the next step - usually deciding whether to go ahead or re-schedule. If you do have the minimum number of registrations, then set a hospitality committee. This group will be the hosts of the local workshop, arranging the details for the comfort of the people attending the course. This includes fresh flowers, paintings for the walls, snacks for breaks, etc.
Relax and Let Your Heart's be Strengthened
Your labors to prepare the way for a program to occur will be very rewarding indeed! Once a workshop has taken place, the facilitator will usually return at least once a year to do further workshops. The workshops after the first one pretty much go on their own.