How to Host a House Party
During the last general election the hitherto unassuming term "house party" entered the political lexicon as a prime component of presidential campaign strategy. Perhaps you were invited to one. Maybe you hosted one. The "house party" has proven to be a useful organizing and campaigning tool. They can be a component of human rights strategy too, for the same reasons they work in politics. House Parties are an invaluable way of communicating your message in a non-threatening, casual and friendly atmosphere and a fun and energizing way to educate people about human rights as well as a good way to raise much needed funds to support your work! They are also a great way to identify others in your community who might be interested in joining your group. What do you need to put on your own human rights house party? It's all here in this 1, 2, 3 primer to help you plan and host your own house party for human rights.
Before the Party
In many ways your human rights house party won't be that different from any other party as far as logistics go. Yes, it might be a good idea to buy a few bags of potato chips. You may even have done a "theme party" before. Your house party doesn't even need to take place in your house. Any venue will do, from a classroom to a church basement, to a gymnasium. But this party will be different. For one thing, it will have more than a theme; it will have a specific purpose. But that need not be intimidating. In fact, we make it easy.
Step 1: Register
If you are doing a house party requested by a specific AIUSA campaign or program, you will likely be asked to register. That way we can provide you with all the materials you will need, including talking points and action kits. It also enables us to keep tabs on what's going on and where and how many groups have signed up, as well as how effective the particular action is. We will likely also provide specific instructions for hosting your party. (Sometimes an AIUSA program or campaign will already have picked a theme.) We may also have picked a specific date and asked people around the country to organize their parties for that day. Let your guests know. People like to feel that they're part of nationwide campaign. So no worries, we'll supply you with everything you need, except the potato chips.
But you don't have to wait for us to throw a party. You can also organize a house party on your own. It could be for a POC your group has adopted or a for a special focus case initiative. Just be sure that your party is on AI message and let your regional office know what you're doing.
Step 2: Making Your Agenda
House Parties work best when there is an immediate call to action: "We need you to sign letters against. ABC "or "we need you to do XYZ." We may be asking you to take action on say, ecological devastation and accompanying human rights abuses in Central America. We may even supply you with a DVD or video illustrating the issue as well as more general AIUSA handouts. Other times you may have an issue that relates specifically to an action your group is taking.
It is also important to have a very clear goal you hope to achieve. For example, "by the end of the evening we would like to have written 100 letters on behalf of..." (whatever your action might be). In any case, a film, documentary or non-documentary, is a great way to illustrate your issue and get a conversation, leading to action, going!
Consider what you will say before and after the film or presentation and how you will transition between agenda items. Maybe you want to have some kind of fun group activity or create a party theme. Be creative. But remember to keep it relatively light. You will be discussing some heavy topics, so you may want to add a little levity to the evening. Remember the "theme" idea? How about creating your own "Guess the Dictator" game or "Human Rights Trivial Pursuit." Be creative. But follow your agenda.
Step 3: Promoting Your Event
House parties are a great way to bring new supporters to Amnesty International. You can invite friends, neighbors and co-workers or people you know who might not necessarily be involved in human rights issues but may have an interest in the concern the party addresses. Of course, invite your own Amnesty International colleagues, guests from other active AI groups in your area, allied groups and organizations, especially groups that might be working on the same issues but from a different angle. However, be sure to include new people - otherwise you're just preaching to the choir. Get your invitations out early.
Step 4: The Invitations
Today there are more ways of getting the word out than ever. Don't depend on one exclusively. And remember, people threw successful parties before e-mail existed.
Send an e-mail to all invitees. Make sure you mention why you are hosting the party, for example, "we want to send a message to President Fox to investigate the killings of women in the border area and will be writing letters to the president." And don't forget to include pertinent information, obvious things like your address, phone number and e-mail address. Consider using free programs, such as E-Vite (wwwE-Vite.com), which sends out invitations, then tracks responses and sends out reminders automatically.
Snail mail: Same rules apply. A personal invitation is still a very impressive way to get the word out. They remain popular because they work.
Post a flier: Low tech but effective. Tack them on your church bulletin board, your grocery store's or local Starbucks community pin-up board, or tack it up to a telephone pole.
Phone: More personal than any other method, phone calls can be extremely effective. So work those phones!
Follow Up: Send out a reminder. You can easily do this via e-mail if it's a collective party date push - "Only 10 more days until the national Amnesty House Party Sept 20th." You should receive our action packet (if there is one) via on-line in five days.
Step 5: Read Your Agenda
The best way to have a party that flows seamlessly is to think through the agenda from start to finish beforehand. Consult the action materials you receive for a suggested agenda and party format. If you are planning your own party, create your theme around the movie, documentary or guest speaker you select. There are certainly plenty of human rights themed movies out there to choose from: "Hotel Rwanda," "The Killing Fields," "Men With Guns," "The Official Story," even "Norma Ray" and "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" come to mind. There are also excellent documentaries and shorts to choose from, some produced by Amnesty International and available from your Regional Office. Decide how you want to introduce the theme, and don't forget to mention AI's position and actions around the subject the film covers. Include time for discussion after the presentation is over. Time your agenda to ensure it isn't too long! You know what happens to parties that go on too long. Most importantly, include a simple, direct action your guests can take on the spot, such as writing a letter.
Step 6: Make a Checklist
It's all in the details.
Pens and paper: Be sure you have enough, including paper for note taking.
Letters don't go anywhere without postage!
Nametags: Do you want them to help you identify guests? It's up to you.
Amnesty International literature: Have enough on hand, including membership brochures, newsletters, handouts etc., maybe even an AI goody bag with buttons, stickers, and tattoos! Make sure all your actions and handouts are displayed prominently.
Equipment: Nothing is more embarrassing than having a house full of people and not being able to get your DVD player to work. Make sure it is ready to roll, before guests arrive!
Munchies: Can't have a party without them. It doesn't have to be a lot. This isn't a State Dinner you're hosting. But remember the rule of halves applies. If you invite 50, expect about 25 to show up. Otherwise you'll be eating Russian dressing chip dip for a month!
Document the event. Assign someone to take pictures.
And Don't Forget. If you are holding the party somewhere other than your home, in a church auditorium for example, make sure to scout out the site in advance.
The Big Night Arrives
Step 7: During the Party
Once people arrive, your main responsibility shifts to managing the evening. Make sure you have the registration table set up. With the movie or doc, you'll have a full agenda. It's important to try to stick to the time limits so that guests who can't stay as long still get to participate. Maybe you can keep a timer handy. Don't worry if this is your first party. You just need to get the discussion started, remind people of the agenda if the discussion runs over, and summarize any decisions taken. And don't forget to pitch AI! Part of your presentation should include information on the various ways your guests can become more involved with Amnesty International; by joining your group perhaps, maybe starting their own group or by joining a network. Highlight the events section on AIUSA's website as a resource to find out about more interesting events, such as Regional Conferences or state meetings, or to contact the Regional Office. Finally (and this is important) urge them to become individual card carrying, dues paying members. Spell out the benefits.
You should assign someone from your group to handle general hosting duties such as keeping the goodies bowls full and the drinks flowing, cleaning up mishaps or taking those photos so that you can stay focused on running the meeting. But don't worry! Your guests are all there because they want to help make a difference, so they won't care if you don't get things perfect. It is a party, so have fun. And, unlike some parties you've been to in the past, you won't even have to worry about making small talk!
Here is how the evening might look.
- Guests begin to arrive: welcome them, serve refreshments and mingle.
- Introductions: When it looks like everyone has pretty much arrived, introduce yourself formally and talk about Amnesty International and the specific reason for the gathering.
- The Big Event: Roll your movie or introduce your guest speaker or activity.
- Discussion: Take a few minutes to talk about what you've just seen or heard. Keep your eye on your watch or a clock so it doesn't go on to long.
- Action: Here's where you hand out the pens, paper and stamps!
Wrap up: Thank your guests and guest speaker (if you had one) buttonhole guests who are willing to get more involved and pass the hat. There should always be a fund-raising component! And remember AI's fundraising guidelines. All money raised at AI events goes to AI, not to some other endeavor, however worthy.
Turn Out the Lights, the Party's Over
Step 8: After the Party
You know what a house can look like after a party. Make sure a few folks from your own group stick around to help with the cleanup. But there is more to do than just pick the pretzels out of that thousand-dollar carpet.
- Get back to us: Contact your Regional Office and let them know how things went. If there was a survey or some kind of other feedback mechanism in your action kit, be sure to fill it out.
- Thank yous. Don't forget your just departed guests. A quick follow-up thank you note is always appreciated. Then send them a follow-up action within a week or two. And don't forget to include information on how they can get more involved with AI by joining a group, and or a network and by becoming individual dues paying members. Spell out the benefits this entails.
- Start planning your next event!
So there you have it. It wasn't that daunting after all was it? It was even fun and it was all for a "good cause" your cause, human rights.
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