Guidelines for the organisation of an EEMA Conference
(Incorporating amendments agreed at 58^th EEMA Conference in September 2010)

 

The EEMA Conference agreed on .. September 20.. to accept your country’s offer to organise the EEMA Conference in 20.. You should follow the guidelines set out in this document which has been compiled to assist you in the organisation.

The purpose of the EEMA Conference is to improve the exchange experience for young people by providing an annual forum for Rotarians to share knowledge of, to discuss issues arising from, and to explore new opportunities within the Rotary Youth Exchange programme and, to encourage the development of personal contacts between Youth Exchange Officers, all around the world, whilst enjoying international fellowship in a different EEMA zone country each year.

General:

1. As soon as possible form an organising committee consisting of a majority of experienced YEO’s. Invite a DG or PDG to become a member of the organising committee as a representative of the Governors of the Districts of your country. It is necessary that the Chairman of the organising committee has attended at least three EEMA Conferences.

2. Establish an officially accepted organization to give an official status to negotiations, making contracts, opening bank account, etc.

3. Establish a date for the conference which should be in the last week-end of August or in the first, second, or third week-end of September. Check for national and religious holidays and/or big events before fixing a date for the conference.

4. Details of the proposed location for the Conference, the dates, the programme for the Post Conference tour, and a rough estimate of the costs and fees to be paid by the delegates, must be submitted to the President and Vice-President of the EEMA Conference. No definite reservations must be made before approval of the budget, charges to delegates and printing artwork is received. The President and the Vice-President will visit the location and meet with the organising committee. Following this meeting, and when agreement has been reached, the organising committee can confirm reservations.

1. Where possible housing and the conference should be in the same building or within a walking distance of no more than a few minutes. The location does not have to be in a main city but the conference facilities should be adequate.
   
2. The Post Conference Tour is primarily a social event and a networking opportunity for the participants. It is important to include several opportunities for socialising. Travelling time between sites to be visited should be limited to a maximum of 2 hours. Most YEO’s have to pay for the post conference tour from their personal accounts so, to enable as many people as possible to take part, it should be not too expensive.
   

Time Schedule :

September – 3 years	The location of the Conference and Post conference tour will be agreed by a vote of delegates at the current conference. A meeting in the host country with EEMA  President and Vice-President will be held to start the organisation of the Conference.
September – 2 years	During the current Conference the Conference Chairman will give a short speech inviting participants to the Conference in two years time. EEMA President and Vice-President have a meeting with the Conference Chairman and committee members. The Conference theme, if not already agreed, should be fixed in order that all printing can be prepared.
January – 1 year	Presentation to EEMA President and Vice-President of definite costs of Conference and Post Conference tour, final details of programme and name of the Keynote speaker.At the current EEMA Conference the Conference Chairman of the organising country for the next Conference will make a presentation and will invite delegates to attend. Promotional flyers with date and details known should be handed out.
September – 1 year	The EEMA President and Vice-President will have a meeting with those members of the organising committee present to discuss the coming year.
January	Send out invitations and registration forms including the Conference Programme, Post Conference tour programme and the definite costs to the participants. If known, the main subjects to be discussed can be announced.
February onward	Consider sending regular newsletter/emails to past attendees to keep them informed and updated.
Prior to RI Convention	Meeting in the host country with EEMA President and Vice-President to prepare Conference programme. As soon as possible after the RI Pre-Convention meeting the preliminary programme, without names of peakers etc., should be sent to delegates with confirmation of their registration.
August/September	Conference
No later than December	Send out Conference report, by email or on CD, including a corrected list of participants and contact details. Send financial report to EEMA President and Vice-President.

 

Invitations:

Invitations should be sent to :

• President R.l. (with a request for an RI Representative to attend) 
• President Elect
• Aides of RI President and President Elect
• Board of Directors
• YE Office Evanston
• Regional RI Office Zurich Switzerland
• Honorary Members list
• National representatives of the EEMA zone
• Previous year's Participants
• Additional list from President and Vice-President
• DG's, DGN's, YEO's of receiving country

Registration form details:

• Delegate and accompanying guest information, any dietary restrictions. 
• Conference and Post conference section with costs to delegates and options.
• Payment details and in what currency. (Credit card is preferred method)
• Travel arrangements.
• Hotel Room preferences. E.g. smoking/non-smoking; single,twin or double beds.
• Registration deadline and liability in the event of cancellation.
• Loss, Injury, accident, delay or other inconvenience disclaimer

Name of Delegate, Rotary Club, District, Country (and State for US delegates), function in Youth Exchange, willingness to serve on panel, suggestions for discussion, special experience in Youth Exchange especially when related to the theme or topics of the coming conference, suggestions for improvements to the EEMA Conference

Register all answers to the detailed questions in a database file. This facilitates the sorting of details and information, including those of moderators and panellists, for use in the preparation of tbe programme.

Programme:

The subjects to be discussed at tbe conference and the selection of panellists and moderators are tbe responsibility of the President, Vice­President and Conference Chairman and should be based on the suggestions of the national representatives and of the organising cornmiuee.

Between one and three special sessions for the national representatives working group will be scheduled at each Conference.

The Keynote speaker to introduce the theme of the Conference at the first plenary session will be chosen by the organising committee, however the approval of the President must be obtained before any invitation is issued.

 

Travel:

Good information about how to travel to where the Conference takes place is essential. Information should be given as to cost, frequency and duration via bus, taxi, metro etc. from Airport or International Railway station to Conference Hotel. 

Delegates should know what support (Rotex / Rotaract / Travel agent) will be available at airport, railway station or elsewhere. Give emergency contact phone number(s).
Hotel reservation information should be mentioned in the invitation.
Detailed travel information should be sent with registration confirmation.

Moderator and Panelists:

Moderators and Panellists will be invited by the President and Vice President. The Moderator will receive the names of their Panellists in advance to prepare for their section of the meeting.

Language:

The official conference language is English. Simultaneous translation can be very expensive.

Conference: 

Registration:

The Registration and Information desk should be open from Friday 12.00 noon until 21.00 hr. On Saturday these desks should be open for one hour before the meeting starts and until one hour after the last session. On Sunday it should be open during coffee breaks and lunchtime.

Administration:

• Provide a notice board for announcements strategically placed close to a recognisable meeting point or at a point where delegates regularly have to pass.
• Provide a ‘Post-it’ board for ideas for inclusion in next Conference.
• The availability of a secretarial room can be of great help.
• The need for Conference rooms depends on the conference programme, so should be variable up to two months before the conference.
• The secretarial room with IT facilities, photocopier and secretarial assistance should be close to the conference rooms.
• All participants should have their coffee breaks in the same area and the room/hall where they take place should be big enough to place tables, signs, programme information, displays provided by delegates etc. The provision of a microphone for short announcements is of help.
• Appoint someone to be responsible for providing all necessary materials, flags, announcement board, place names for panellists, direction signs to meeting rooms, announcements of which session is in which room etc..

Sergeant-at arms:

Local YEO’s should be used to assist delegates with directions and to ensure that sessions start in time. To ensure they are well informed about the programme timetable and room locations they should attend the moderators meeting on Friday.

Schedule:

Friday

• Moderators meeting – 1 break-out room for 20 participants
• Plenary opening session ( up to 250 participants) (Optional)
• Get together meeting
• Dinner for all participants

Saturday

• Plenary opening session ( up to 250 participants) (If not held on Friday)
• Plenary session 1
• Coffee break
• Group discussions (4 break-out rooms for 25-30 participants plus one for National Representatives)
• Lunch for all participants
• Plenary session 2
• Group discussions During the group discussions a programme for partners should be organised.(e.g. local visit)
• Coffee break.
• Gala Dinner

Sunday

• Meditation
• Plenary session 3
• Group discussions
• Coffee break
• Final plenary session
• Lunch for all participants
• Visit to a local site
• Dinner or Home Hospitality

After the meditation and up until lunch a programme for partners may be organised.

Findings Committee:

A local member with an excellent knowledge of the English language should be nominated as Chairman of the Findings Committee and panel members should be sought who preferably have English as their mother tongue. The Findings Committee Chairman is responsible for ensuring that all reports are available for the compilation of the Conference report. The Findings Committee may use the Secretarial room.

Sizes and Numbers:

• Programme book : 10,5 x 21 cm   Numbers see below.
• Name tag  : 10 x 8 cm First name, Surname, Call name, Country (and State for US), field active in Youth Exchange  (250 depends of no.  of participants.)
  
• Announcement flyers for EEMA Conference and Preconvention 300
• Invitations are sent out to about 450 pers. and 50 are put in Networking room at Pre-convention.
• Preliminary Programme to send with registration confirmation by email
• Definite Programme for all participants : 250/300
• Conference reports to be posted on Conference website. Delegates to be notified by email. Notification to be sent to administrator of www.yeoresources.com for posting on that website

Finances:

There is no fund or financial support for the EEMA organisation. All costs have to be covered by the price paid by participants to the EEMA Conference. Before offering to hold an EEMA Conference the Country must have written support from the District in which it will take place. Districts in the host country are requested to financially support the organising committee to enable them to organise an appropriate conference within the suggested price limits. In this way all EEMA countries pay their share to support the conference making it possible for YEOs, many of whom have to pay the conference cost totally or partially themselves, to attend.

The approval of the EEMA President is required as to the extent to which any sponsoring organisation can advertise their name/logo and on which materials or occasions, etc..

The organising country is fully responsible for the cost of organising the Conference whether or not they use a Professional Congress Organiser or Travel agency. We strongly recommend the organising committee establish an official organization in whose name it formally operates and to take out insurance cover against any financial and third liability consequences. A financial report must be given to the President and Vice-President at the conclusion of the conference. Dispursement of any profits will be at the discretion of the President, Vice-President and organizing committee.

Costs of  Conference:

1. All preparatory costs: Identification of hosting and Conference facilities, preparation of post conference tour, preparation of a budget, artwork and all necessary printing, postage, phone, fax, e-mail and staff costs.
2. Costs during the Conference: Staff for registration and administrative support, resource costs such as photocopying, paper for reports, etc
3. Costs after the Conference: Making and sending out the Conference report, financial report.
4. Costs of all Conferences facilities used : Rooms, technical support, etc
5. Costs of  the organising committee.
6. The President, the Vice President and the immediate Past President of EEMA will be guests of the conference.
7. The Conference price must include: 3 nights accommodation, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners + 1 gala dinner, beverages during the meals and during the coffee breaks, partner programme, taxes, gifts for participants (optional) and conference bag.

The costs of items 1 to 6 are fixed and irrespective of the number of participants but can be estimated by using the average number of participants at previous conferences.

Item 7 can be accurately calculated at the time when the definite amount has to be agreed with the Hotel, Restaurant, etc.

A discount for early registration (before 31^st May) should be offered. It is recommended that a final date be set for reservation of places on the post conference tour.

 

When using external agencies pre-payment is very often required

Prices will differ from country to country and in the way the Conference is organised, however it is desirable to keep the fees as low as possible to allow the maximum number of YEOs to participate. The objective is to keep the overall price as low as possible. It is also necessary to give the cost without accommodation.

An organising committee can make a profit from the conference but any surplus in excess of 5% of the income from registration must be passed on to the organisers of the conference following. Any surplus must be forwarded to the organisers of the next conference no later that 31st December of the year in which it was generated.