Alternatives to Violence Project USA www.avpusa.org holds an annual conference and gathering every Memorial Day weekend in various locations around the United States, hosted by a local group which takes responsibility for all the site selection, planning, implementation and evaluation of their conference. A national Conference Committee works with the local/host group to support and guide them toward a successful break-even conference. In 2020, AVP-USA hosted the first ever Virtual Annual Gathering. The intention of the national committee is to continue with hybrid virtual and in-person models in the future. In 2022, AVP-USA hosted the first ever hybrid gathering at Catholic University of American in Washington, DC!
This manual was originally developed in 2005 and has been edited by the national conference committee chairs in subsequent year. It is designed to be a working document updated by each local group, while maintaining historical information to assist future local groups.
How hard is it to host a national AVP conference in your area?
AVP/USA is always open to finding conference hosts for future years. It takes a concerted time and effort to be a host group for the conference, but the pay-offs are 100 fold! Here are some quotes from previous hosts:
"Having the opportunity to host AVPers in my home town made me incredibly proud. I was grateful to share our community and our hearts. It was worth all the effort!" - Archer Bunner (AVP Indiana)
HOW DOES YOUR LOCAL GROUP BENEFIT?
New energy as a group working on something different together
A focal point for new ideas and personal growth of AVPers
Involvement of more formerly incarcerated facilitators
More local people can attend the conference than would normally
Cross fertilization of ideas and methods that move us out of our my-way-is-best rut.
$1000 stippend for the local group that hosts the conference.
HOW DOES AVP SUPPORT THE LOCAL GROUP PUTTING ON THE CONFERENCE?
A conference manual with timelines, job descriptions, budget and hints from past conference coordinators sites.google.com/avpusa.org/gatheringsmanual/introduction
Support of the National Conference Committee with any and all tasks.
All finances are handled through AVP/USA including the online registrations and initial deposits.
Scholarship committee that is separate from local group and is responsible for selection of recipients.
Independence to make decisions on the conference with oversight to maintain budget constraints.
Hosting a conference gives you a chance to share and explore what your local is concerned about and provides you a chance to set up workshops to gather the information you need to continue “the work.”
Is it easy to host? Of course it takes work and time, but the satisfaction is huge!!
Reply to Archer Bunner @conferencechair@avpusa.org are interested.