Special Events are activities organized outside the usual daytime activities of workshops and general sessions.
These workshops are offered by teams of individuals around special subject relevant to the conference theme or of special interest in the field at the time. These provide time to explore deeply as subject of interest to facilitators and to local groups without taking time away from the workshop schedule.
An extra cost is involved to the participants and the presenters have been not been required to pay their evening lodging and meals which are not included in the general conference fees they have paid.. Reproduction of materials are negotiated with the presenters.
For the first time in 2012 these programs were extensive, including a three- and a two-day session. Prior to accepting these programs in the future this year needs to be closely evaluated to determine if they are taking energy away from the conference and AVP/USA concerns as an organization. How was the energy at the annual meeting? Did people become involved in committees who attended these workshops? For the first time one workshop was offered off-site causing more confusion in terms of registration and transportation which the local group ultimately had to deal with.
Evening programs are an opportunity to be with one another, build community and sometimes actually learn something. It is important to remember that this is now a primarily mature group of people many of whom are on a different timeline and who are tired by evening. They and younger people are ready to relax and have fun.
Everything from plays by formerly incarcerated people to lectures and films and local bands have been included in these evenings. This is totally up to the local group to decide and tap their own resources.
The first night gathering has worked well with highly participatory, interactive, fast-paced activities that focus on getting to know one another and providing a time to welcome first-timers/newcomers into the the conference by buddying them and giving everyone a chance to share with one another.
Ending by 9 pm accommodates those who have spent a long day travelling or in a workshop. This night works well all in big circles, rather than auditorium style, starting with a welcome by the President then a light and lively followed by Concentric Circles. Suggestion for the future (this would be a good time for each of the committee clerks to briefly share what has been going on in their committee and their plans for next year rather than the President saying everything.)
Set up concentric circles with first-timers (and possibly those who haven't been to an AVP conference for a while depending on the balance between old and new) on the inside circle and previous attendees on the outside. Be sure to assure eveyone has a partner and their is space for them. You will need some of your team to move around the room and help move people into this configuration while you point out places for people to find a partner. or this past year that I put into practice.
Surprise at the last: End with telling them the person in front of them is their buddy for the conference , then they share "what I hope to get out of this conference" leaving a time for the old timers to share "my advice on how to make this conference most productive " and sharing informaiton about one another.
The second night tends to be some kind of entertainment from outside AVP. Sometimes people get special grants for these or invite people from outside the conference to pay to attend to help pay for bringing in the group. Bands have also been part of this evening but few people actually stay long for them. Keeping the energy and focus on the conference up is a challenge for this evening. In 2012 when this night's entertainment cancelled at the last minute, the Committee of Committees hosted an ice cream social and a visioning time based on the recent survey on people's dreams for AVPUSA. If this should be done again, it would be more productive to build the table groups around each C of C committee.
The final Talent Night has been an amazing success every year it has been done, building community, giving us a chance to get to know one anothers' hidden skills. It seems to work best to find someone totally not involved in the conference committee but attending the conference to be the point person for organizing and hosting it. By this night, the committee is getting frazzled and needs this fun for themselves and to even participate.