Event/Retreat Planning Checklist:
- SIX MONTHS BEFORE:
- Prepare budget/secure permission from powers that be
- Recruit adult volunteers
- Set up a planning committee of youth and adults
- Select a theme or purpose for the retreat
- Choose a site for the retreat
- Schedule dates and times for the retreat
- Organize registration – price, deposit, max/min number of participants, registration forms
- Plan and begin publicity
- FOUR MONTHS BEFORE:
- Involve as many youth as possible in various planning task groups
- Brainstorm ideas for Sessions, Games, Activities, Devotions, Worship
- Contact all leaders for sessions and games, etc.
- Continue publicity
- Review and list behavioral expectations and consequences
- Determine transportation needs; secure insurance
- TWO MONTHS BEFORE:
- Recruit drivers
- Organize refreshments and meals (is the retreat facility providing or are you?)
- Double check on registrations
- Provide a list of things to bring
- Prepare schedule
- Distribute and collect permission forms, medical release forms
- Plan a parents meeting to inform them of details, answer questions
- IMMEDIATELY BEFORE:
- Contact all leaders to make sure prepared
- Contact the retreat site
- Contact drivers
- Collect all supplies and food
- Prepare a first-aid kit
- DURING EVENT/RETREAT:
- Pay fees to campsite
- Post and follow the schedule
- Plan regular discussions with leaders to review
- Guide devotions and prayer
- Ask participants and leaders to evaluate the retreat
- Clean up the site
- AFTER EVENT/RETREAT:
- Reimburse drivers for gas
- Meet with the task force to go over evaluations
- Plan appropriate follow‐up programming for needs discovered at the event/retreat
- List recommendations for the next event/retreat
- Thank all who helped
Sample Weekend Schedule
-
Friday:
7:00 pm - Arrive at the Site/Unpack and settle in
8:30 pm - Ground Rules/Ice‐breakers/Theme Introduction
9:30 pm - Sessions or Special Activity
10:30 pm - Snack and get ready for bed
11:00 pm - Lights Out! -
Saturday:
7:00 am - Arise and Shine
7:45 am - Hoppers
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:00 am - Sessions
11:30 am - Break time
11:45 am - Hoppers
Noon - Lunch
1:30 pm - Free Time
4:00 pm - Electives or Group Activity
5:15 pm - Hoppers
5:30 pm - Dinner
6:30 pm - Sessions
8:30 pm - Evening Activity
10:30 pm - Snacks and get ready for bed
11:00 pm - Lights Out! -
Sunday:
7:00 am - Arise and Shine
7:45 am - Hoppers
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:00 am - Cabin Clean‐up and pack
10:30 am - Worship
11:45 am - Hoppers
Noon - Lunch
1:30 pm - Head Home!
Tips/Suggestions
- Personal contact via word of mouth is the BEST promotion!
- Choose at least three people to invite people individually.
- When deciding the price, give scholarships instead of lowering the price.
- Consider asking for a deposit or prepayment, this promotes a sense of “buy‐in” and also helps prevent people from saying they will come, but then backing out at the last minute.
- Budget for a positive balance (i.e., charge $5 extra to cover unexpected expenses).
- Usually, 24‐48 hours is typical for the length of the event/retreat, but it can be more or less.
- Be sure to allow for flexibility and spontaneity. Be open to the Spirit!
- Over‐plan (plan for more than you'll include in any one event) so there are no lapses, but allow for flexibility.
- Allow time for worship, supervised unstructured time, input, reflection, and reaction.
- Individual sessions should be 90 minutes maximum.
- Always plan optional strategies in case of a change of circumstances (i.e., weather factors, activity flop).
- Choose a site that is not too far away and not too close it's good to have a sense of being apart from your usual setting.
- The site should match your objectives for gathering.
- Be able to specify what kind of space you need (spaces for gathering the whole group together, as well as breakout spaces for small group activities, for example).
- Consider the number of people desirable for your particular objectives. Bigger is not necessarily better.
- Touch base with your planning committee at least once during the event/retreat to review the schedule and process, and make any adjustments required.
- If appropriate, offer classes or groups for follow‐up after the retreat.
- In planning, consider the multiple intelligences (learning styles) of your participants.