As soon as you have decided the length of your process and exact or expected number of participants, you should confirm dates and book a suitable venue. You should select the dates paying attention to avoiding school, religious and bank holidays, and any other large events in the locality. When selecting your dates make sure that you have enough time for everything that you need to do.

📩 Click here to download a venue checklist.

Food and refreshments make a real difference to people’s experience of an engagement process. Often the feedback we get from participants is about how much they liked (or disliked!) the food. Meal times and refreshment breaks are vital in engagement processes for participants to reflect on their discussions, build relationships and re-energise for the rest of the session.

The amount and type of catering will look different depending on your engagement. If it is a full day event, you should provide refreshments on arrival, morning snacks, lunch and afternoon snacks. For drop-in sessions with a low time commitment we still suggest providing refreshments (often this can be a draw for attendance). 

Your catering choices should reflect the cultural and dietary requirements of your participants.

This depends upon your process. For any engagement process with a selected group of participants, you should have a lead facilitator to guide the overall process. For every 8 participants, have one table facilitator. Additionally, make sure you have enough support staff—at least one for every 50 participants, or more if needed for things like arrivals, lunch, or other activities that may require extra help. You may additionally have a dedicated wellbeing support person. This is highly recommended for any process but essential when the topic is potentially upsetting, controversial, or where you are asking participants to share lived experience.
Lead facilitators should be facilitation and engagement professionals who are able to have full responsibility to manage the engagement event.
Small group facilitators should either be professional engagement facilitators or have received training to fulfil this role for this engagement activity. 
Depending on the nature of the process it can be particularly beneficial for all facilitation to be delivered by an independent organisation to guard against accusations of bias.

For drop in style processes you should aim to have at least two people together on a stand or at a venue at any time, and at least one other person to raise awareness on the day in local shops and handing out simple leaflets letting people know what is happening.

Your onboarding process should support participants to disclose any support needs they have. You should liaise with the venue and relevant participants to ensure these can be met. This is essential to secure participation from those who would be least likely to overwise attend —it makes your event fair and it means you are hearing from people who are least often heard from.

For drop in style processes you should plan to make your event accessible assuming that you will engage with people with a diverse range of needs. Don’t forget to also check with your staff team and speakers on whether they have any accessibility requirements.

Once you have your venue, know about accessibility requirements, and understand the activities that you will deliver you should complete a risk assessment for the event.

This varies by event and can be specific to an activity you run. As you plan your event you should compile a clear list of the resources that will be required and update this list as needed. If there is any bespoke designed materials you should liaise with printer/designers to ensure you order in good time.

This varies by event and can be specific to an activity you run. As you plan your event you should compile a clear list of the resources that will be required and update this list as needed. If there is any bespoke designed materials you should liaise with printer/designers to ensure you order in good time.