Plan a meetup that is low-tech and high-trust
This planner consists of a set of checklists that any organization can use to spark thinking and account for the logistics ahead of hosting a meetup: staffing roles, safety, budget, venue selection and more.
Logistics
Ideal Characteristics:
- Detail-oriented individual who has experience planning and executing gatherings/events
- Comfortable problem-solving any logistical issue that might come up
Prep or Training Needed:
- Implementer’s Planner - this webpage!
Time Needed:
- 6-8 hours to plan details, and will need to be present during gathering
Recruiter
Ideal Characteristics:
- Trusted individual with deep ties to the community and the specific population you are trying to gather
- Ideally speaks the preferred language of the community
- Able to have flexible hours to call various members of the community, or go to community events to invite people
Hint: it often works well to have the recruiter and follow-up buddy be the same person, to manage all community relationships
Prep or Training Needed:
- Confirm the date and time of the event
- RSVP Template
Time Needed:
- 1-2 hours (may need more time as questions arise)
Facilitator
Ideal Characteristics:
- Trusted individual who is comfortable speaking with small to medium groups about health topics
- Must be able to speak in the preferred language of the community
- Warm and respected presence in the community
- Willing to answer questions in a non-judgmental way
Prep or Training Needed:
Time Needed:
- Availability for the 1.5 hour session, and for preparation as needed before the session
Follow-up Buddy
Ideal Characteristics:
- Reliable individual who can follow-up with many people after the session
- Trusted individual who is able to speak in the preferred language and make multiple attempts to follow-up with people over the phone
- Willing to answer questions in a non-judgmental way
- Comfortable referring people to services in the community if not offered by your organization
- Ideally they are able to offer rides to vaccine clinics
Hint: it often works well to have the recruiter and follow-up buddy be the same person, to manage all community relationships
Prep or Training Needed
- Access to referral resources (vaccine clinic hours and locations, mental health services, social services, etc.)
- Follow-up suggestions
Time Needed:
- ~6-8 hours following the session to follow-up and support with getting vaccinated
Setting Up the Space
- Consider an outdoor venue
- Build in space to social distance (i.e. setting up chairs and tables, walkways, creating individual seating during snack breaks)
During the Gathering
- Require masking and provide extra masks
- Provide hand sanitizer
- Provide cleaning and sanitation products
- Wipe down chairs and tables between sessions
For Childcare
- Consider enforcing guidelines where children must be asymptomatic
There are four steps:
- Create a list of everyone you want to invite
- Track who you have invited and their responses
- Collect RSVPS, transportation, childcare needs, languages, and more all in one document.
- Create a sign-in sheet for the day of your gathering.
Safety
- Can we host the gathering outside?
- Do we have enough space for everyone to socially distance if they’re indoors? Can people sit at least 6 feet apart?
Technology
- Can we hook up a projector? Is there a blank wall or a screen?
- For the projector, can we reduce the amount of light in the room if we host a daytime event?
- Do we have all cables needed to connect to the projector?
Space
- Is our space near or closely accessible for participants?
- If we wanted to host multiple groups at the same time, are there multiple spaces at the venue?
Set-up
- Do we have enough space to set up chairs and tables?
- Can we have access to the venue 1-2 days in advance to set-up?
Tech and Audio-Visual
The session will run best if you’re able to have the following items. If not, we’ve provided some workarounds as well.
- Nice to have: A projector and screen to share the facilitation slides
- Alternatives: Printed out versions of the slides
- Reminders: Make sure to have an HDMI cable and adaptors for different types of laptops! Check this beforehand.
Transportation
Refer back to your RSVP template to plan for your transportation.
Ride shares and taxis:
- Are participants more comfortable with taxis, Uber or Lyft?
- If calling Uber or Lyft, you’ll need multiple people to call, if you’re calling them at the same time.
- Plan to have participants arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the start of the event.
Giving rides:
- Identify how many drivers you have.
- Map out timings of when to pick up participants, and who can give them a ride. Tip: Consider who lives near each other, or who could be picked up on the way.
Public transit: You also might consider offering bus cards to those who are more comfortable with public transit.
Childcare
Since we’re gathering mothers, we want to ensure that everyone can feel focused and fully present. Here are some childcare considerations to keep in mind:
- It’s best to find someone who is familiar with the community, and ideally has already babysat for mothers in the community.
- Plan to have this person for the entirety of the session.
- Ask for references for the person providing childcare to ensure safety and quality.
The Cost Calculator is a spreadsheet that can help implementing organizations project out the cost of a single meetup as well as of a yearly program of MxM meetups. It can help you:
- Get a sense of what an individual MxM meetup might cost.
- Get a sense of what you might need to fundraise to launch an MxM program.
- Fundraise for MxM by projecting out the impact the program might have.
Collecting qualitative and quantitative data as you plan can help track progress and tell a story about the program’s effectiveness and impact.
This is sometimes required if your meetup is funded by a grant, but it is a good idea to measure your success either way. It can help you improve the meetups and optimize them for a better client experience.
Try to have a full dress rehearsal the day before, including testing the audio/video, practicing the facilitation for each activity, and setting up any tables/chairs.
Print your signage and materials 2-3 days beforehand, in case you need to reprint or print more.
Send reminders to your participants 1-2 days before the event, and a text reminder the morning of.