When it’s time:

• Explore why you’re interested in organizing a facilitator training.
• Re-read some anti-colonialism/anti-oppression texts.
• Reflect on your experiences facilitating and then as someone holding an ALC community. What roles and topics can you rock? Which ones do you need to find partners to take up?
• Set personal intentions and goals

ASAP:

• Gather a team
• Align team intentions/goals
• Pick a location and a format

ASAP-after-that:

• Set a date for a team check-in, with each person’s deliverables clearly requested
• Research rates for similar programming in your area
• Research rates for providing food so folks can stay in flow
• Research rates for (and availability of) the space you’ll use
• Brainstorm other possible needed/wanted accommodations
• Figure out rates charged by guest teachers and facilitators
• Determine accounts/deadlines for managing money
• Determine where you’ll build your website/application forms
• Get familiar with relevant local legalities/insurance
• Write up offerings/content ideas for the program

At your team check-in:

• Decide scaffolding for the program (daily rituals, openings and closings, etc)
• Commit to any offerings/content which require advance planning + designate CH to plan
• Do some math to set rates (for a reasonable target # of participants) that will let you cover your costs
• Create a finances/budgeting spreadsheet and establish a CH to handle money things
• Decide whether people will register or go through an application process, and what that entails (in NYC, so far, people register…elsewhere they apply and do interviews before being accepted)
• Take on planning tasks
• Determine how you’ll update each other until your next check-in

Planning Tasks (sort-of in order):

• Arrange a space
• Build a webpage (with a registration deadline and who to contact with questions clearly listed)
• Create a registration form, linked to your webpage
• Share the webpage
• Arrange catering (+other provisioning)
• Arrange childcare, if offering it
• Tell parents at hosting school that there’s bonus school (or start a summer camp) and do whatever paperwork your state/entity requires to make that happen
• Coordinate with any guest teachers/facilitators
• Keep sharing the webpage

As people fill out your form:

• Keep track of who is signing up, their contact info, their intentions, their program interests, their fee commitments, their support requests, and other helpful information on a spreadsheet shared across your team
• Reply to inquiries
• Keep sharing your webpage (especially 1 month, 1 week, 3 days before registration closes)

 

*****Invoicing dates/deadlines depend on whether you need to collect deposits to be able to book the space+caterer+etc. In NYC, we’re fortunate to have worked with collaborators who haven’t needed numbers until the week before and payment until the first day of the program. *****

At your registration deadline:

• ASSESS. Do you want to extend your deadline or let late applicants email you to be considered? Are you content or totally full? Keep in mind a handful of people will likely bail or not show.
• Update your website
• Send a confirmation/greeting email to everyone already on board, with notes about what to expect in the coming weeks

*****People will be enrolling and dropping out right up to the start of the program–and sometimes during it–if you let them. Your team will want to decide how adaptable you want to be and communicate that clearly. *****

1 Month Before:

• Send an email confirming program dates, asking for dietary restrictions/allergies, and letting people know how to pay you
• Contact the caterer (and any guest teachers) with a preliminary count and any other information that would be useful to them. For food, I usually do participants+staff+2, just in case.
• Send out invoices for program fees
• If you have kids coming, send whatever communications you need to so their parents are reminded of the times/dates/program type

Two Weeks Before:

• Email the details from the website (address, dates, times), newer details (childcare rates, what to bring), and suggested pre-program reading (really just the Network website…). Invite questions. Get people thinking about how they’ll introduce themselves.
• Update spreadsheets
• Follow up with any parties necessary. Likely catering numbers have changed or someone misplaced their invoice or two people need to be connected to figure out housing or or or…
• Figure out with your team which offerings are going to be scheduled and which are optional. Determine CHs for each, and plan to procure any supplies needed.
• If you have kids coming…email to remind parents of the times/dates/expectations

One Week Before:

• Send a welcome email asking recipients to reply with an introduction. Start them off by introducing yourself or selves. Remind them what time you’re excited to see them on the first day of the training 😉
• Send confirmations and payments.
• Update and review spreadsheets
• Set the space
• If you have kids coming…email to remind parents times/dates/expectations/what-to-pack

The First Day:

• You know best what you need to set yourself up…Do that…
• Go!