The purpose of a regional event is to keep nourishing and empowering our unique bond as IWL women.

To support each other in our personal development and female leadership journey and to enjoy each other’s company while having fun.

STEP 1

Overall Tips

• Seek to connect with women in your country
• Check the IWL alumnae website to see if and when another event is currently being organized to optimize timing and planning
• Once you have a list of guests (alumnae and first-time guests interested in IWL), consider starting a What’s App/Telegram/Signal group to keep everyone updated
• If you need additional support ask a fellow alumna to organize it with you

STEP 2

Select the Theme and Topic

• Decide what kind of event you would like to host. Perhaps it’s a purely social event or more educational and informative, or a mixture of both?
• Pick a type of event, here are some suggestions:
  • Workshops (participating in activities together, i.e. a painting evening)
  • Watch a TED Talk and discuss it together
  • Live Speakers
  • Book Club (share a book 1 month in advance, then meet to discuss it)
  • Social in nature, after-work happy hour or coffee gatherings
• Select a topic, that could be around an IWL value, here are some suggestions:
  • Charismatic leadership
  • Empowering female leadership
  • Building Trust in Teams
  • Using positive affirmations
  • Being a catalyst for positive change
  • Peacemaking Initiatives
• Choose whether to meet in person or digitally

STEP 3

Select a Date, Time, and Location

• Choose a central location with parking options, a place that is easily accessible by public transportation
• What kind of location do you require? Do you need a workshop space, will food and drinks be available?
• Reserve in advance with all parties (the establishment and speaker)
• Consider the costs. Examples: Pay for what you order or, offer an agreed-upon fixed entry price for the establishment, food or refreshments, and speaker fee. For large groups splitting the bill can be challenging

STEP 4

Invitation

• Make an invitation. Canva (canva.com) is a creative, design-based platform and will create attractive invitations for free
• Eventbrite (eventbrite.com) is another option and will allow you to track RSVPs, over 10 invites will require a small fee
• Put the following sentence in the invitation:

  “Photos will be taken during the event, by registering, you agree that they may be used in Inspired Women Lead publications, website and social media”

• Create the invite, be sure to include the date, time, address, theme, topic and expected costs, RSVP deadline and
• Prior to the event, confirm the number of expected guests to the establishment
• Send the invitation two weeks in advance of the actual event
• Send the event invite and details to the IWL alumnae email address (alumnae@inspiredwomenlead.org) so the event can be uploaded onto the website and featured in the calendar
• Send a reminder to all unconfirmed invited guests two days prior to the event

STEP 5

Event

• Be sure to arrive early and have plenty of time to properly set up the event and address any last-minute unexpected needs or changes
• Take quality pictures throughout the event and share them afterward
• As the host, remember you are responsible to make sure the bill is paid
• Before the event ends, ask for a volunteer to host the next event
• When meeting new guests who are not currently IWL members or alumnae, talk about the benefits and features of the program. Refer them to the website
• Enjoy the event and benefit from the time together!

STEP 6

Post Event

• Create a post-event summary and share it on the IWL website and via the IWL group Facebook page
• Consider sharing some pictures from the event with your What’s App group or e-mail list
• Post-event, please send a “feed-forward” recap email to alumnae@inspiredwomenlead.org to improve future event planning
• Praise yourself for everything you did to make this reunion happen! It is because of you and your initiative that other women can benefit from an engaging and inspiring event experience!

If you have any questions or concerns during this journey, the IWL alumnae reunions task force will be happy to assist and guide you.

Simply send an email to (alumnae@inspiredwomenlead.org)