# Chapter 1. How to organise an FPI convening You have finally decided to host a local conversation on the Feminist Principles of the Internet! But how do you even begin to organise one? The logistical decisions you make play an important role in making sure you are able to hold a healthy conversational space and carry out the purpose of the convening effectively. # Intro *[Image source.](https://www.genderit.org/articles/breaking-online-gender-based-violence)* You have finally decided to host a local conversation on the Feminist Principles of the Internet! But how do you even begin to organise one? The **logistical decisions you make play an important role** in making sure you are able to hold a healthy conversational space and carry out the purpose of the convening effectively. In this section, we will talk about:
**Before the convening** | **During the convening** | **After the convening** |
[Who to bring together](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/page/who-to-bring-together "Who to bring together") [Where to host](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/page/where-to-host "Where to host") [Planning an agenda](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/page/planning-an-agenda "Planning an agenda") [Resources needed](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/page/resources-needed "Resources needed") | [Documentation](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/page/documentation "Documentation") | [Evaluation](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/page/evaluation "Evaluation") |
##### *Things to be aware of when bringing people together:* Remember! **People hold power.** Organising a healthy conversational space that holds true to your reason for bringing people together requires you to **be strategic about safety**. - Would the activists you invite feel safe with funders in the room? - Do you want to include men? - Do you belong to a marginalised community, and want the conversation to be specifically among folks that share the same or similar marginalisations? - Do you want to include charismatic or influential leaders from your movement? - If you are organising the conversation with a team, make sure the number of team members is less than the number of those who have been invited. |
\[insert link to an appendix/resources section that includes an adapted spreadsheet from last MFI on criteria for selection\]
#### **Needs assessments** Once you have confirmed your participants, sending them a needs assessment form before the start of the event can help folks feel **included, seen and comfortable**. The responses you receive will enable you to be aware of people’s needs and guide subsequent decision-making on logistics.##### *Examples of what you really need to know about participants’ needs:* - Do they need financial support to be able to attend? - Do they have children or care responsibilities that require their attention at particular hours or on particular days? - Do they have access to transport to the venue, or access to data in the event of the conversation taking place online? - Do they have accessibility requirements due to a disability? - Will there be language diversity at the event that requires the presence of translators? - What are their dietary needs? |
\[insert link to an appendix/resources section that includes an adapted needs assessment form template\]
# Where to host **Space is political.** Where you decide to hold the conversation can either enhance the inclusion of those who have been invited or exclude them. In making decisions of where to host a local conversation, we need to interrogate our assumptions of people’s access to devices and connectivity, as well as our assumptions about the ablebodiedness of our participants. Use the needs assessment discussed in the previous section to guide your decision-making in choosing a venue for your event. Our environment also has a huge impact on our engagement. If you are hosting a physical conversation, look for a space that has **good ventilation, fresh air and lots of natural light**. If possible, find a place that makes you feel inspired! For you, this might look like a venue surrounded by nature, or a local arts and culture centre nestled within a bustling city, or a community-led space with a rich history of hosting activist organising. #### **Ethical considerations** Go through your participant list and their responses from the needs assessment to answer the following questions: - **Do folks have specific accessibility needs?** If choosing a physical venue, make sure the venue enables the mobility and onsite accessibility of all those attending. If hosting an online conversation, choose a platform that has the necessary features available to ensure full and engaged participation of all invited. - **Is the venue safe for diverse identities?** Is it queer-friendly? Is it women-friendly? - **Can folks access the venue using public transport?** - **Does the venue provide vegetarian meals, and accommodate other dietary needs?** - **Who runs the space?** If choosing a physical venue, are its custodians attentive to the ecological impact of the space, and the environmental sustainability of its surrounds? Do they welcome diverse bodies? If hosting an online conversation, are your chosen platform’s developers invested in enabling internet freedom? - **Can information be kept safe at the venue?** Can conversation materials be locked away overnight if taking place over multiple days? Does the space have surveillance cameras, and if so, can they be turned off for the duration of your event? If taking place online, does your chosen platform support your privacy needs?Useful resource: [Come together, APC guidelines on planning and designing online events](https://cometogether.apc.org/ "Come together, APC guidelines on planning and designing online events")
#### **Venue facilities** Depending on the conversation activities you want to host, also consider whether the venue has: - A whiteboard or chalkboard - Walls on which to stick up posters - Open space for participants to self-organise - If hosting a conversation online, you may want to choose a platform that enables breakout rooms, and explore online tools for different ways of engaging and being together Lastly, let’s not forget about our love for technology and our ability to be in our bodies!**Bringing your technology to physical venues** | **Bringing your bodies to online spaces** |
- Check if there are plug points for folks to charge their devices and stay **connected** - Ask the venue beforehand about their Wi-Fi facilities - Create a **digital repository** for folks to share information and resources with one another Share infrastructure! Invite folks to bring their devices and favourite tech to the conversation. | Does the platform you wish to use allow folks to engage their senses? You may want to: - Share, **listen** to, and **dance** to music! - **See** one another on video - Enable ongoing **engagement** via a separate chat platform or by making use of the video conferencing platform’s chat facility Pool resources! Invite folks to bring material items to the conversation that speak to particular moments in their activism. |
##### *Reflective exercise* What is the best workshop or conversation you have been in? In a list, describe the aspects of the space you believe contributed to the energy you experienced. |
**Number of sessions** | **Length of each session** | **If more than one session, frequency of sessions** |
One session? Multiple sessions? | Half a day? A full day? Multiple days? | Consecutive days? Weekly? Monthly? |
\[Insert link to an appendix/resources section that includes a sample agenda\]
**Top tip! Bring skilled facilitators on board** that can support the structure and flow of the conversation and guide the development of your agenda. Meet with facilitators before the event to discuss and brainstorm!
#### **Use this kit!** In the chapters to follow, you will find more information on how to facilitate and hold a conversation space. You will also find plenty of ideas for activities and methods specifically designed for enhancing conversations around the different FPIs and their relation to local contexts. Read these chapters and add the activities that resonate with your objectives to the agenda of your event!**See these chapters:** [Chapter 2. Holding space and getting to know each other](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/chapter/chapter-2-holding-space-and-getting-to-know-each-other "Chapter 2. Holding space and getting to know each other") [Chapter 3. Playing with tech](https://explorefpi.apc.org/books/explore-fpis-toolkit/chapter/chapter-3-playing-with-tech "Chapter 3. Playing with tech")
# Resources needed We all know that hosting any event, whether online or in-person requires resources, which are **both people, as well as money**. At the same time, we know that such resources are not always available, both for yourself as the organiser, or for the participants of your event. **Having adequate funding for your event responds to the collective need for embodied care** among you, your team and your participants when investing time and labour in coming together. It is useful to be aware of any hidden costs in the form of time and money to everyone involved. When applying for funding for your event, here are a few costs you may want to consider when drawing up your budget proposal: **Infrastructure and venue costs:** For an in-person local conversation, you may have to consider costs such as venue rental, meals, materials needed for activities, transport for participants and perhaps even accommodation. At the same time, an online event may require costs for technology, or the paying for the use of secure platforms or online spaces. **Travel costs of participants:** It is not always acknowledged that both online and in-person events require a ‘travel process’: participants need to commute to a space where they can devote their full attention. Participants will have varied hidden costs to be fully present at your event, which can include data costs, renting a private space with internet access, buying any materials needed for the event, paying for elder or child care, or buying meals.**Top tip!** **Include a flat per diem for each participant with no claims process** in your budget proposal. Participants can use the money to pay for the specific things they need in order to participate and be fully present at your event!
**A dedicated support team:** Whether you are organising your local conversation on your own, or as part of a collective, having a support team dedicated to different needs of your event can help you to stay focussed on your role hosting the event. Support persons you may want to consider bringing on board would include: - **An experienced facilitator:** especially if you intend on having difficult conversations around sensitive topics, having an experienced facilitator to hold the space can greatly enhance the safety and depth of each conversation and the process overall. - **A tech person or team:** particularly in the case of an online event, a dedicated tech person (or team, for a larger group) can offer guidance to participants who may be new to using particular platforms or online tools, or struggling with their connectivity. - **A documenter or documentation team:** as you will read below, documenting the process and content of conversations during your event greatly enhances the inclusivity, accountability and possibilities for learning that your event can offer. Having a person or team dedicated to this task can ensure a coordinated, comprehensive and efficient documentation process and will provide rich material that you can draw from for any future action after your event. # Documentation *An [ezine](https://genderit.org/resources/mfi-africa-e-zine) was created by Wairimũ Murĩithi and Youlendree Appasamy in 2020, to document the MFIAfrica convening in Johannesburg in 2019.* Documenting your conversation has three key roles: 1. It makes your event more inclusive, as you are able to share the notes and insights of your event with those who were unable to attend. 2. It enables learning for both you and your participants, as the notes become a reference for continued organising. 3. It enhances accountability in a conversation context in which key decisions are being made, or strategies are being discussed for future action around a particular issue. Two key aspects of your conversation that are useful to document are: 1. The content of conversations 2. The process for holding the conversation space Depending on the nature of the event, you may also want to note other aspects, such as the names and contact details of participants (with their permission), and logistical details. #### **Ways of documenting** Documentation can be done through a range of media, including text or transcribing, illustrations, photographs and sound recordings. All conversation materials, including posters and sticky notes, and online collaboration spaces for conducting activities in the case of a virtual event, are also rich resources that can contribute to the documentation of the conversation.**Medium of documentation:** | **Useful for:** | **What you need:** |
Live text | Capturing spoken insights and important quotes Sharing key points with participants post-event Recording the structure of the conversation and process Report writing Writing publishable thought pieces about insights | - For an in-person event, a dedicated table and chair for documenter/s to sit and write near plug point - Laptop/s for typing - Online notepad or offline notetaking software |
Illustrations | Capturing the energy of the room Sharing insights in an accessible, visually intriguing way Creating communication outputs about the event | - For an in-person event, a dedicated table and chair for illustrator/s to sit and draw near plug point if using software - Illustration materials as needed by illustrator |
Sound recordings | Transcribing spoken conversation word-for-word Report writing Capturing spoken insights if a dedicated text documenter is unavailable | For an in-person event: - Voice recorder - Extra set of batteries - USB for uploading recordings when the recorder reaches full storage capacity For a virtual event: - Recording facility available on your chosen video-conferencing platform |
Photography and videography | Capturing insights shared on conversation materials, such as post-it notes and posters, or slides of presentations Capturing the energy of the room Sharing clips or visuals in communication content about the event | - Camera - Camera charging cables - USB for uploading photographs and video when the camera reaches full storage capacity - For a virtual event, a recording facility available on your chosen video-conferencing platform |
\[Insert link to appendix/resources section that includes questionnaire template on permissions/consent\]
- Establish a set of protocols collectively at the start of the conversation that informs how you document, and under which conditions you don’t. Decide together how to indicate to the collective if a certain contribution is off the record, or if a participant wishes for a particular comment they make to remain anonymous. - Discuss with participants at the start of the event whether those attending can publish insights on their social media, and if so, under what conditions.**Remember!** Back up your documentation on an encrypted hard drive or secure online cloud at the end of each session or conversation day to mitigate the risk of losing the files!
For more details on documenting virtual events specifically, visit this page [Documentation design and preserving memories](https://cometogether.apc.org/books/3-rising-action/page/documentation-design-and-preserving-memories), from the APC guidelines on planning and designing online events)
# Evaluation Evaluation is useful for two key reasons: 1. Improving your processes 2. Sharing learnings with others hosting similar events Evaluations are helpful both during and after your event. Evaluations at the end of each session are particularly helpful if you intend on hosting more than one session, or a follow-up conversation in the future. One way of doing an evaluation with folks on-site is by using the **Plus Delta practice**.##### *Plus Delta practice* At the end of a session, distribute two sticky notes to each participant. One sticky note will be marked with a plus (+) sign, and the other with a delta (∆) sign. Ask them to answer the following question on each corresponding sticky note: - \+ What did you like? - ∆ What can be improved? |
\[Insert in-document link to the resources section, or quick links to one or two resources relevant to this chapter\] https://padlet.com/jhybe/d74tt00dl5qogaex
Useful resource: [Come together, APC guidelines on planning and designing online](https://cometogether.apc.org/)[ events](https://cometogether.apc.org/)