Orientation site
From AFSWiki
This page describes best practices related to the physical location for an orientation.
Step 1: Determine Site Requirements
As you begin considering sites, you should know something about the orientation itself:
- When will it be held?
- How long will it be?
- Approximately how many people will attend?
- How much /what kind of training space (indoor/outdoor, break-out rooms) will you need?
- Will you need common areas for eating and socializing?
- Does the site allow you to bring your own food?
- What facilities do you need to prepare food?
- How accessible is the site to the orientation participants?
- Is adequate and affordable parking available?
- Does the site have the audio-visual equipment that you need or will they allow you to bring your own?
- If the site provides such equipment, how much does it cost? Equipment fees can be a major expense in, for example, hotels.
- How much money do you have to spend on the event?
- Any other specific training needs?
Step 2: Choose the Site
Potential sites include:
- Youth hostel
- Places of worship
- Religious camp facilities
- State park
- Nature Center
- Water Park
- Community Center
- Library
- Retreat Center
- Salvation Army
- Community Room at local bank or firehouse
- Hotel
- College or university
- Military camp
- Private home
- Furniture store
- School - gym, classroom, auditorium
- Restaurant - will often provide space free of charge if food is served
Step 3: Reserve the Site
Some sites must be reserved months in advance. Reserving a site can sometimes be a simple process involving no money or contract. In most situations, however, the arrangements will be more formal. Always consult with the volunteer leaders at your Team and with your Regional Service Center if you are asked to sign a contract, make a down payment, and provide proof of liability insurance because you are committing not only yourself but the organization when you take these steps.
After reserving the site, you will want several pieces of information for yourself and your participants:
- directions and a map
- instructions for parking
- important phone numbers.
You will also want to familiarize yourself with the layout of the site so that you are comfortable with the environment and can help familiarize the participants in your workshop. Know about restrooms, public phones, smoking policies, other events taking place at the same time, and local community services such as gas stations and photocopying centers. Finally, you will want to know how you gain access to the facility on the day of the orientation, since you will most likely be training outside of regular business hours.
