An e-learning event planning tool
has been launched to help cash-strapped associations.
Sharon Ashton, who designed the online tool, said
the Covid-19 pandemic had highlighted the difficulties not-for-profits with scarce resources faced when organising meetings and events.
“I
want the tool to be of value to small to medium-sized
associations that have limited time, money, resources and little in-house
know-how in organising large-scale events,” said Sharon Ashton, founder of the tool, Event-ualisE and events director at EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe.
The 10-step tool includes checklists, worksheets and
how-to documents.
“It
is designed as a time-saving tool, to help train staff and support the
development of an impactful large-scale event in-house such as a national or
international conference,” added Ashton.
“Users can either follow in sequence or dip in and out of on an
on-demand basis. I’ve
tried to make it as practical as possible. It is my way to give back to the
non-profit community in the hope of leaving no one behind.”
Topics covered include: defining a budget, event promotion, understanding the audio
visual demands, registration and ticket pricing, and speaker management.
“During
the pandemic, even after more than 20 years planning events, me and my
team faced a huge learning curve when shifting our European conference online.
If I’ve had a hard time adapting then I can’t imagine what it’s like for small
non-profits who often rely on their limited staff or volunteers, specialised in
other fields such as marketing or fundraising or membership, to pull their
events together.”
Find out more about Event-ualisE here.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
