Finding the right team is critical. Its size and character should be informed by the scale of the event. It is advisable to run a single event for a targeted age category in the first year. In subsequent years, it may become desirable to create multiple age categories with their own events (i.e. a “kids” science chase for ages 8 – 12 and an “adults” event for ages 16 and up).
Here’s what we suggest:
1 Coordinator (sits on the site executive committee)
- Provides link to rest of Science Rendezvous event
- Connects with Science Rendezvous marketing, planning, volunteer recruitment
- Budget
- Runs training sessions for event-day volunteers (with support from rest of team)
- Creates challenges, guides and assists committee members with their responsibilities
- Same responsibilities as “team leads” (and logistics coordinator if they don’t exist)
- Guide development of event as a whole (ensuring storylines and challenges are appropriately engaging, interesting and appropriate to the intended audience)
- Troubleshoots unexpected problems (i.e. equipment breaks, or on event day there is a miscommunication regarding permission to use a specific building and/or room)
1 Logistics Coordinator
- Books rooms and locations for challenges
- Responds to emails from interested participants, volunteers, etc.
- Organizes training sessions for event-day volunteers
- Assists committee members with special requirements (i.e. equipment) needed for challenges.
- Manages the Science Chase HeadQuarters on event-day
- Manages flow of participating teams on event day
- Provides a point of contact between Science Chase and the public
- Manages the flow of volunteers staffing the Science Chase (especially important in the morning and during shift changes) to ensure all positions are filled
1 “team lead” for each event, if there are multiple events (i.e. a “team lead” for the adults event, and one for the kids event)
- Take initiative to ensure committee members are on track to complete work on individual challenges, help as needed.
- Lead writing of storyline that connects the challenges into a coherent adventure from the point of view of participants
- Troubleshoots problems on event-day
2-4 committee members
- Lead the creation, testing, volunteer training and event-day management of 1-2 individual challenges
