Guide to Running Your Own Event
When planning a NWW event it is important to consider the following:
- Who is your target audience and what are their needs?
- Staffing your event
- Location of your event
- Timing of the event
- Budget
- Insurance requirements
And it is important to have a checklist to ensure that all your planning leads to a great event!
Know Your Audience
When planning your event, it is important to know who your target audience is. This will help you to tailor the content and format to an appropriate level, and will assist in focusing your marketing activities.
Your target audience may include:
- Schools - teachers and students
- Special interest community groups and individuals
- Relevant industry groups
- Local media groups
- Politicians
Staffing Your Event
It is important to involve staff who have the appropriate skills to assist in running your event. Some things that you may like to consider when inviting staff may include:
- Staff skills required - technical, communication, event management, etc
- How will staff interact with your audience?
- Providing a list of dates and times required, location details, roles and responsibilities, and audience background
- What other needs will the presenters have?
Selecting A Location
As a National program, National Water Week events are held in a variety of locations across Australia. It is important to choose a location that suits the type of event you have planned, as well as somewhere your audience will be able to easily access and feel comfortable in.
Make sure that your venue has all facilities that you require, and that all equipment is working. It is a good idea to ask venue managers what the plans for emergency exits are, and any other questions about power, lighting etc.
When Should I Hold My Event?
National Water Week takes place over 7days, starting the third Sunday of every October.
The timing of your event during this week may be determined by your target audience and their availability. It is essential that you consider who will be coming before deciding on the day and time of your event.
Public Liability
All events promoted as part of National Water Week must have public liability insurance. The venue where you are holding your event may be covered for public liability insurance, however it is the responsibility of the event organiser to make sure that this covers the planned activities. If public liability insurance is not provided, it is up to the event organiser to arrange it.
Budget
When planning any event, it is important to produce a detailed budget to keep your spending on track. The template below is provided as a starting point only.
| Expenses | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Staff time | |
| Speakers Fee | |
| Venue Hire | |
| Technical / equipment hire | |
| Insurance | |
| Printing | |
| Administration (mail/phone etc) | |
| Advertising | |
| Catering | |
| Signage | |
| Total | |
| Income | Amount ($) |
| Grant | |
| Sponsorship | |
| Total |
Outdoor Safety
Safety is the most important concern, particularly when running outdoor events where weather elements and other factors outside of your control can sometimes cause problems. As the leader of the group you are responsible for the safety of the group. To ensure the safety of your participants it is important that you are aware of the following:
- Know your group
- Know how many participants are attending your event
- Your participants, their physical capabilities, judgment, and ability to cooperate
- How to administer first aid
- The area you are running the activity in
- What to do in an emergency
- What outdoor clothing to use in various weather conditions
- How to recognise and voice or safely negotiate physical and climatic hazards
- Wear your name tag - it helps identify you as an event organizer and someone to listen to during an emergency.
Photo Permission Form
If you plan to take photos of people participating in your NWW event, and you would like to use them for promotional and/or reporting purposes it is advised to ask permission from the people in the photograph. If a subject in the photo is under the age of 18 you will need to be granted permission from their parent or guardian to be able to use the photos.
Two templates are provided that can be used to record permission being granted to use photos of adults and children.
Registration Form
Asking participants to complete a registration form allows you to find out key information about your audience before the event. This is important in planning for access and catering requirements, and may also assist in developing event content and format.
This registration form can be used as a template for your NWW event. Schools should use this Registration Form as their template as it has been specifically designed for their requirements.
Checklist
To ensure that your event runs smoothly, it is a good idea to have a checklist that you can work your way through while planning the event. Your checklist could include such things as:
- Register your event on the NWW website - www.nationalwaterweek.org.au
- Use the NWW logos to promote your event as part of the national program
- Risk assessment and emergency response plan
- First aid
- Organise public liability insurance
- Media plan
- Invitation list
- Evaluation of your event
- 'Plan B' - a contingency plan for what will you do if it rains, a presenter doesn't turn up, etc
- Remember - Always be prepared for the unexpected.