Host an Introductory Meeting

Your introductory meeting sets the stage for a successful year for your chapter. It is the ideal occasion to introduce your fellow students to the connection between health and human rights, and to encourage them to join you as a member of your PHR chapter. Use this guide for tips on how to run an effective and engaging introduction meeting.

Here are a few key questions to consider as you prepare for your meeting:

Define Success -

• What does it take to host a quality student chapter meeting? Considering that your goal is to motivate students to become committed members, you will want students to feel welcome and receptive to becoming part of a proactive human rights community. It is important that they understand that by being active members, they can make a difference.

Preparation -

• Who will facilitate the meeting? 
• What supplies will you need? (Don't forget food!
• Where will you hold the meeting? 
• What are the best ways to advertise?
• Know Your Audience: What motivated people to come to this first meeting?

Create a plan

Once you decide upon the logistics, work together as team to make your meeting successful.

• Design the meeting agenda and delegate tasks among your core group of coordinators. Set deadlines for each task. If yours is an established chapter, ask returning members to help!
• Share the meeting project plan with your planning group. Be sure everyone knows who is responsible for which tasks. Meet periodically with the coordinating team before the introductory meeting so that everyone is on the same page and feels prepared.
• Put someone in charge of assembling printed materials about PHR and your chapter, e.g., fact sheets, chapter information fliers, chapter members' contact information, sign-up sheets.
• Assign someone else to be in charge of pre-meeting tabling and reserving a venue for the meeting.
• Have someone arrange food—an important part of a successful meeting!
• Set a goal for the number of attendees. Remember, you'll need to contact 3 – 4 times as many students as your target. (Refer to the Rule of Halves in the Publicize section.)
• Ask your faculty Advisor to attend the meeting.

The Meeting Agenda

Here is a suggested format.

• Welcome. You may want to start with an informal "icebreaker".
• Introduce chapter leadership—personal testimonials are very powerful; you may want to ask chapter leaders or long-time members to say a few words about why they became members and why the work is important to them
• Present an overview of the connection between health and human rights. Your faculty advisor should have a speaking role and want to present this section.
• Present an overview of PHR and provide reference materials for more information (e.g., the PHR website, brochures, video, etc); check with PHR's National Student Coordinator to see if someone from PHR, or a local health professional PHR member, could make a presentation. Utilize other resources:  See the Reference section.
• The Connection between your chapter and the national Organization. Use this part of the meeting to give examples of the PHR campaigns and actions your chapter has been involved in.  Cite some chapter success stories here to demonstrate concrete results and benefits of becoming a member.  Preview upcoming activities.
• Questions and Answers: open the floor to discussion and questions. Make attendees aware that everyone in the chapter will have a voice.
• Have a hands-on action available. Request that attendees sign a petition, send an online email, or partake in some quick action.
• Announce the date, time and location of your next meeting or activity; ask students to fill out the sign-up sheet.
• Socialize!:  provide an opportunity at the end of the formal agenda for socializing, refreshments, and to explore follow-up opportunities.

Publicity

• Simply put: publicity is critical! See Publicize an Event for additional information.

Supply check

• Reserve a venue well in advance, and make sure it's a good fit for your meeting. Try to find a location that is open and conducive for post-meeting socializing.
• Be sure you have what you need ahead of time (slide projector, power point, etc).Be sure the message and appearance of any materials about PHR or your chapter reflect your objectives and are appropriate for your audience.  (Very important: Check with Danielle before producing materials for guidelines on the use of the PHR logo! Give yourself enough time for design, printing, distribution, and transporting materials to the venue prior to the event.  Do a separate plan/timeline just for materials.)
• Have a sign-in sheet to collect names and contacts of the attendees.  It may be helpful to include "What prompted your interest in the PHR chapter?" in the sign-in sheet for planning the chapter's activity.

Debrief and Follow-up

Within a couple of days of your meeting, have a debriefing session with your coordinating team. Talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the meeting, as well as ideas for future meetings. Discuss key ideas and suggestions that came up during the meeting.

Follow up by sending an e-mail to attendees within 24 hours. Thank them for their time and interest, and provide information about upcoming meetings and events.

Send a copy of the sign-in sheet to PHR Student team by email to Danielle Fox (dfox [at] phrusa [dot] org) or 617-301-4250 (fax).

Practice Exercise:

You want to start off the year right by hosting a productive and engaging introduction meeting. How can engage the attendees? What essential information should you provide? How will you recruit new members? 

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