Design and facilitation of large,
participative conferences
We have many years’ experience of very successful participative conferences. These work well for complex initiatives that range across organisations and professional groups or between users and service providers: situations where multiple stakeholders have widely different perspectives. Designed carefully and used with discrimination large, participative conferences can be very effective in service, organisation and policy development.
What happens?
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All interested and relevant parties can be present in one location to work on a particular issue Participants can get to the heart of their concerns and interests rapidly Multiple, related meetings can happen in parallel within the conference Participants can readily network with those with similar interests and concerns and strengthen productive working relationships |
People learn, discover new possibilities, generate ideas and new proposals Discussion, agreement and decision-making can be speeded up: if the right people are present decisions can be made on the day Proposals can be generated for consideration and ratification elsewhere Creates focus of attention and a mandate for action |
How we work
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We create a small design team with the client that reflects the anticipated range of participants at the conference. Their role is to help develop and refine the purpose, invitation list, publicity, and follow through of the event. The design team is usually key to the success of the conference as they bring their expertise and knowledge of the system and the issues that the conference will need to address. Each conference design is unique and tailored to the particular circumstances. Participant numbers can typically range from 30 to 250, at conferences lasting from 4 hours to 2 days. We can draw on elements from a range of methodologies including ‘Open Space’, the Conference Model, Future Search and World Café. |
Expected outcomesRapid and comprehensive project progression Rapid and real engagement of stakeholders Organisational profile and mandate for action Grounded, practical proposals and plans Decisions on the day where possible Rapid production of comprehensive conference report Purposeful networking amongst stakeholders |
Influencing national social policyPeter Mumford, with colleague Ray Flux, were commissioned by a consortium of the King’s Fund, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Help the Aged, Age Concern and seven other national charities to facilitate a series of eight national conferences. The purpose of the conferences was to gather the views of older people, policy makers and service providers on who will pay for social care for older people in the future. The aim was to raise awareness and influence national policy. Read more… Users’ Involvement in
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Improving diabetes servicesEPI Associates was commissioned by an SHA in the north of England to design and direct a participative conference to bring about improvements to the planning and delivery of diabetes services. Read more… Contentious Service ReconfigurationEPI Associates was commissioned to prepare, design and facilitate a workshop to tackle conflict over the location and future configuration of midwifery services serving a population of 750,000 residents. Read more… |
What we offer…
Design and facilitation of large, participative conferences >
‘Your work contributed significantly to the successful outcome of the Caring Choices initiative in influencing the long term care funding reform agenda.’
King’s Fund Director
‘Thank you for your support and excellent facilitation of the steering group and at the conference. We achieved much more than I expected from the day and it has given a fantastic boost to the whole programme.’
Programme Director
‘Consistently very high levels of satisfaction with the conferences in terms of understanding the issues, contributing to the discussions and quality of facilitation.’
Comment from participant
‘We await the concrete outputs which will be fascinating, but engagement (and enjoyment) were obvious from a start. I’m sure you saw my amazement that such a simple idea could produce such a brilliant and time efficient process.’
Diabetes Czar
‘Sincere thanks for your excellent facilitation of the workshop and for guiding preparations, it has been a very good learning process not only for me but for everyone involved.’
Programme Director
To find out more
or to discuss your
needs, please contact
Janice Quested
PA and Office Manager
tel/fax
01268 780086
mobile
07762 889474
email
janice@epiassociates.com