Welfare Rights Conference - thoughts please

Hi all

I am in the process of organising a Somerset welfare rights conference (no-one ever visits us down here!) and I was hoping to pick your brains on:

1) What topics would you most like discussed/covered?
2) Would any of you be willing to donate some time and be a speaker?
3) Have any of you done this before - any tips or important stuff I might not have thought of?

Thanks in advance, Chaos

You might want to have a look at the record of the 4th London Advice Conference, which I was involved in organising.

I’m sure many of the topics would still be of interest and relevance, with some refreshing to bring issues such as welfare reform up to date.

On a purely practical level, I would advise you not to underestimate how much work is invovled, so the more people you can get to help you, the better. This is particularly the case on the day, in terms of meeting and greeting delegates, speakers and facilitators, moving people around, lunching and networking etc. On networking/chatting/call-it-what-you-will, we have found that for many people, this is something that they value a great deal, as they say that they don’t have opportunities to interact with their peers in informal settings.

Don’t be afraid to beg and borrow shamelessly, we have been very lucky that Clifford Chance have donated their conference space for the past few years, as well as giving delegates a basic lunch, which helped contain costs. We also had a few stands for exhibitors, which we made a smallish charge for.

Think of who you want speaking/facilitating as early in the process as you can, so that you can give them a defintie date for the event, as well as sufficient time to prepare. Have some alternatives prepared in case of cancellation or clashes e.g. needing to juggle workshop timings. Find out what kind of presentations or workshops are planned, so you can make sure appropriate equipment is available if necessary. It’s also important I think to have a mixture of sessions, so if there is an hour of speeches say, either try and intersperse with some Q&A’s during that time, or make sure there is a break after the speeches, so people can move around and chat before starting the next session.

Depending on when it takes place, I’d be happy to do something for you, but you’d need to have some ideas about what that would be.

Good luck (and don’t forget to try and enjoy it as well!!)

Hi Paul

Thanks for the generous offer. It is likely to be in April (quick I know but this is for budgeting reasons). I will get back to you asap.

Chaos

Altered Chaos - 19 January 2012 08:36 AM

Hi all

I am in the process of organising a Somerset welfare rights conference (no-one ever visits us down here!) and I was hoping to pick your brains on:

1) What topics would you most like discussed/covered?
2) Would any of you be willing to donate some time and be a speaker?
3) Have any of you done this before - any tips or important stuff I might not have thought of?

Thanks in advance, Chaos

Is this open to anyone or just Somerset? No one visits us here either!

As I can just pop-over the bridge I’d be happy to do a Welfare Reform spot.  I’m doing a pile of these at the moment, in the next month I’m doing the Citizens Advice Scotland conference, National Housing Federation and Welsh welfare rights so I’ve got the material already.

Gareth Morgan - 19 January 2012 12:32 PM

As I can just pop-over the bridge I’d be happy to do a Welfare Reform spot.  I’m doing a pile of these at the moment, in the next month I’m doing the Citizens Advice Scotland conference, National Housing Federation and Welsh welfare rights so I’ve got the material already.

Hi Gareth,

I was thinking of either an overview of the Welfare Reform Bill to date OR Universal Credit specific to date. And I would be very grateful for your assistance. I’ll get your contact info from LinkedIn.

Chaos

Hi Pete

Cheekily I am accepting help from anywhere but the funding is coming from a Somerset specific organisation, so at the moment invites will be limited to Somerset. But I will shout if I am permitted to branch out.

Chaos

Altered Chaos - 19 January 2012 11:51 AM

Hi Paul

Thanks for the generous offer. It is likely to be in April (quick I know but this is for budgeting reasons). I will get back to you asap.

Chaos

Paul,

What is the likelihood of you being able to do something social policy specific raising awareness of the impacts of the Welfare Refom Act and Legal Aid bill??

Chaos

Given the media coverage re; benefit scroungers and the DWP ramping up their fraud investigations etc, I was hoping to have a workshop on ‘good practice’ when advising a client in relation to IUC. Anyone interested?

Altered Chaos - 19 January 2012 03:47 PM

Altered Chaos - 19 January 2012 11:51 AM

Hi Paul

Thanks for the generous offer. It is likely to be in April (quick I know but this is for budgeting reasons). I will get back to you asap.

Chaos

Paul,

What is the likelihood of you being able to do something social policy specific raising awareness of the impacts of the Welfare Refom Act and Legal Aid bill??

Chaos

Give me a call next week and we can have a chat, .

Will do Paul.

Well we have a date 26th April 2012 for the conference, so I am now looking at speakers and facilitators and the planning of the day.

Next comes the invites… so if anyone is in Somerset and would like to attend please post your interest.

If you are ‘out of area’ but interested don’t be shy as there may be a few spare places - rightsnet members will first dibs.
Chaos

Of course…. I’m just finalising the speakers/workshop providers and then invites will be on their way out.
Chaos