Although every community is unique, there are certain common techniques which can help make your presentation more successful. Here a some ideas from NYBC's first round of workshops:

Workshop home Notes for Running a Successful Workshop Includes tips on how to determine if a workshop would be useful, timeline for planning a workshop and more. Customized Workshop Modules NYBC Workshop Participants View NYBC's workshop in Albany Speech given to NYBC Workshop By Steve Lewis, Director of Passenger Transportation Division, New York State Department of Transportation Speech given to NYBC's SUNY Albany Workshop By Robert Dingman, Assistant Commissioner for Transportation Safety at the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Sample Press Release for Workshop in Albany Sample Press Release for Workshop in Brooklyn Sample Workshop Schedule

How to know when a seminar would be useful to the community.
If your community has a history of bicyclist and pedestrian injuries and fatalities, if traffic and transportation are major issues in the local media, or if a core group of local leadership is focusing on quality of life issues, then this seminar would be useful for your community. Bicycling and walking are "indicator species" of healthy communities. You can use NYBC's report "An Analysis of Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Data" (available at www.NYBC.net) to identify safety concerns in each New York State County. Your local health agency may also be helpful in identifying cardiovascular and fitness trends which can be improved by increased physical activity.

Seeking financial other forms of support from cooperating organizations.
Holding a public workshop offers great visibility for local business, civic organizations and other partners. Contributions can be in-kind, financial or through the sharing of information and mailing lists. Have a local health organization (a hospital, HMO or insurance company) provide a healthy meal or food break); get the local media to go along for a walk or bike ride as part of the program; involve the Chamber of Commerce or Convention and Tourism Bureau in identifying potential corporate sponsors. Locate a meeting room space at your local library or community college in order to reduce costs.

Customizing the seminar program to local needs and inviting speakers.
The content of this CD is primarily New York State based, but it is also important to include local content. Invite participants to send you digital photos in advance of the workshop, and include them in the powepoint show. Conduct a 'citizens site portrait' as part of the program and have participants develop their own observations and solutions. Include local speakers on the program, especially elected officials, local celebrities and community leaders who can help create positive changes.

Inviting attendees, including advocates, community leaders, public officials and transportation professionals.
It is essential that you develop a detailed invitation list that reaches all interested groups in your community. Make sure you have a person capable of managing a database program so you can maintain a record of who you are inviting and how many people plan to attend. Use e-mail as much as possible, since it is fast and helps reduce costs. Extend personal invitations wherever possible to elected officials, transportation agency leaders and advocacy organizations. Wherever possible, work through people who have personal connections to key individuals who are important to the program. Think beyond the traditional list of 'bicycling and walking' advocates, and make sure to invite a broad cross-section of interests including health, livable communities, economic development, parks/recreation, safety and public works interests.

Planning the meeting's logistics and publicizing the seminar (including sample press releases, letters of invitation, and requests to identify local issues at the seminar.)
Pick a date for your seminar which doesn't conflict with other meetings and events. You may want to set up the workshop as part of a larger conference or function (such as a monthly bike club meeting) in order to share resources and build a larger audience. If possible, form a 'host committee' to share the work and encourage participation. This CD contains sample materials for brochures, media releases, etc. The logistics for developing your program can follow this sample time line:

Hints for conducting a successful, active and productive workshop.
The contents of this CD provide the technical information necessary for a productive session. Make sure you and/or your presenters have reviewed these materials and know the details well. Start off by asking the audience to introduce themselves. Provide an 'idea parking lot' on a flipchart for questions and suggestions to be posted. Schedule breaks so that participants have a chance to meet, talk and ask questions. If there are multiple presenters, try to load all of there presentations onto a single computer to avoid technical complications. Schedule at least part of the time for a 'roundtable' discussion of next steps, and give the group time to identify their priorities.

Post-workshop follow-ups, including audience feedback forms, reports, press contacts, and thank yous.
Use your sign-in sheet to collect email addresses, and send a copy to all participants, along with any media clips from the workshop. Circulate a priority list of next steps within 2 weeks after the workshop, and schedule a follow-up session to keep people involved. Make sure feedback forms are collected and reviewed by the steering committee. Send thank you's to all speakers, elected officials and other key participants.