Getting Started Guide
1. Create a committee: The committee will help in the planning and execution of the seminars.
Each member should be:
Experienced
Articulate
Enthusiastic about the work of the home
Dedicated to sharing this knowledge with others.
2. One-time presenters/experts:
Competence in a given home management skill
Willingness to teach and share with others on a one-time basis
One-time presenters or instructors are always provided with a comprehensive outline of what they need to cover for this particular class. This requirement prevents an overlap of material from one class to another; and ensures that the topic is covered within the vision of AOLW.
Who can have this role?
Women who have an area of expertise in the work of the home, who understand the mission of AOLW, and who are willing to teach others.
Women with a professional background in management, chemistry, culinary arts, fashion, etc., who can teach and contribute to the overall mission of AOLW.
3. Choose an overall theme and topic for each seminar:
a. This goal may be achieved by using the curriculum on our website.
b. By generating ideas during brainstorming sessions of the Planning Committee.
c. Requests and suggestions received from young mothers or other key sources.
4. Select the dates of seminar(s).
5. Put together a binder or folder, with title of seminar, schedule, handouts and helpful resources for the attendees. Go to the Brand Kit.
6. Select a home as the location for your seminar(s).
All seminars are to be given at and in a “home", not in a hotel lobby, conference center, culinary school, library, etc.
a. The home may be any size, but the size of the home determines the number of women invited.
b. Belonging to a family, a single person, or a group of people.
c. The home should be neat, clean and attractive (at least the day of the seminar!) in order to make our mission and vision “tangible.”
d. Study the layout of the house, (kitchen, living room, dining room, etc.) to ensure it is spacious enough for the group to have hands-on experience and to serve a sit-down lunch or refreshments (not a buffet).
7. The seminars should include a meal, such as a sit-down lunch, or coffee/tea and refreshments.
a. Select the menu, china and tableware to be used for serving the meal.
b. The attendees should experience the elegance, finesse and care for the details we are trying to teach through the material objects and settings.
Additional Tips:
Please remember that the effectiveness and success of an Art of Living for Women seminar resides in being able to put into action the knowledge gained at the seminar right away and consistently in the future.
1. Please note that hands-on demonstrations and participation often take longer than expected. Plan accordingly and reduce the number of classes if necessary.
2. It is important that participants register ahead of time, since it is a
hands-on seminar and you need to have the correct amount of materials.
3. HAVE THE SCHEDULE POSTED ON A BOARD OR TRIPOD on site, where it can easily be seen, as this facilitates the flow of the event.
4. Limit the use of PowerPoint presentations and Youtube videos. Experience has taught us that the attendees like to see the demonstrations live. They learn much more with firsthand experience than from a virtual experience.
5. Besides the teachers, you need enough helpers for the smooth running of the day.
6. Keep a file with a running list of suggested themes or classes for the Art of Living. The attendees usually have requests and the committee also has planned themes. The Core Committee is always soliciting new ideas for classes and seeking potential presenters.
7. Having a dedicated photographer helps marketing and keeping historical records.
8. Allow sufficient time for clean-up and rest breaks.
9. The logistics should be carefully planned and scheduled:
a. Plan the locations of the talks and classes so they do not conflict with one another.
b. If the class is in the kitchen, the lunch should be a cold meal prepared ahead of time in the pantry.
c. If the dining room is needed for class, the class should be scheduled early or after lunch so as to have enough time to prepare the room.
d. If a class is about a bedroom, the house needs a bedroom that is suitable and available.