Event Planning Tips: Make the NWSA a Success!
Get the Word Out: Publicizing Your Events
How to Connect with Other Groups: Tips for Coalition Building
Event Planning Tips
Here are a few quick tips on how to make your National Student Week of Action events successful:
- Have concise and realistic goals. Decide on a number of signatures you will gather for a petition, how many letters to senators/representatives you will get people to write or how many people you will round up for a rally. If you have specific goals you often feel more motivated to work harder and it's always fun to know that you have achieved a set goal - or maybe even exceeded it!
- Reach out and organize together! Get people on your campus or other AI student or local groups to help you in the planning and during the week. See our Coalition Building Guide for more tips on how to get other groups involved.
- Be visible - have AI signs and use your imagination to get people's attention in other ways. Since it is a whole week of action - try to do an event each day so that people can't avoid noticing you!
- Always have information for people who wants to know more on the issue and encourage them to take action. Click on the links to get to AIUSA's fact sheets for information to give out
- Have sign up sheets for people who want to know more or want to join Amnesty International. If we get more members we can make even more noise in the future!
- Always have petitions or letters for people to sign so that they can make a difference straight away and feel part of the fight against torture - this might spur them to get involved even more. Download the pledge sheet here (PDF) and print it out.
- Check out the AIUSA's Activist Toolkit to get additional information and resources on event planning.
Get the Word Out
Make sure that people know about your events - more people = more attention
- Post information about your events in school and community calendars Put up posters around your campus, in coffee shops and other public areas where you're allowed to put them up.
- Hand out flyers, making people aware of what you are planning
- Make media aware of the events - newspapers, radios etc. Get tips on how to here.
- Make a media advisory to reach out to media. For a sample of a media advisory click here.
- Post events on Facebook and Myspace, and create groups that people can join. Become our Facebook and MySpace friend!
- See if there are other student groups on campus who wants to be involved and have them send out an email to their email lists.
How to connect with other groups: Tips for Coalition Building
Brainstorm a list of groups who might be interested in working with you.
- Consider groups with an interest in Guantánamo, like the ACLU, interfaith groups, political groups on campus, and other legal organizations/offices.
Develop a strategy
- How might your work appeal to the organization's interests?
- Invite groups to join you in the beginning stages of planning so they can play an active role.
- Be sure to discuss long-term partnerships with the organizations. Groups don't want to feel that you are reaching out to them to satisfy your own goals.
Make contact!
- Have a member of your group meet with a representative of the other group.
- Be clear and upfront about your expectations. Listen to their interests, ideas, and expectations.
- Where do your groups overlap? Considering your common stance, what kinds of goals are appropriate?
Make an Action Plan
- Together, you and your partner groups should create a timeline of activities and plan events for the NWSA.
- Important tips for carrying out your action plan:
- Be specific: When defining your goal and planning your tasks, be as specific as possible so that everyone has concrete expectations.
- Assign responsibilities: After each meeting, ensure that tasks are divided equally and according to each person's abilities and interests.
- Establish a budget and deadlines: Decide the budget quickly, and determine which group is responsible for each portion. Set a timeline and refer to it regularly.
- Be specific: When defining your goal and planning your tasks, be as specific as possible so that everyone has concrete expectations.
Maintain communication
- Keep all groups updated and involved in the decision making process.
- An advantage to partnering with other groups is that it increases resources (consult this abundant resource frequently!)
Celebrate and Evaluate
- Congratulate each other after accomplishing your project!
- During evaluation, ask yourselves: Were your expectations met? What lessons have you learned? Would you collaborate with the group again? If yes, remember to keep in touch!
Keep in touch after the NWSA to keep your coalition alive and active and to plan future projects together!
- For more information see AIUSA's Activist Toolkit's Guide to Working with Other Organizations.
