1. Planning for a Town Hall Meeting
December 4, 2017
Chelsea Allison
University of Tennessee

2. Overview
Purpose
Planning
Executing
Learning
After

3. Purpose of a Town Hall Meeting
To understand your community’s concerns and priorities for change
Opens discussion and conversation to everyone
School’s community  students, faculty, staff, administration
To have your Fruved intervention be on target

4. Planning a Town Hall Meeting
Who will you invite?
What will you discuss?
When will this take place?
Where will this meeting be held?
What are other aspects to be considered?

5. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: WHO
Suggested invitees:
Student panel*
Students
Faculty and staff
Administration
School newspaper
Local media
School celebrities (athletes, musicians, etc.)
Others in and around your community with an interest in your school’s health
*While an all-student panel is strongly encouraged for the meeting, a faculty or community member with advocacy experience may be appropriate and exciting

6. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: WHAT
Lay out an agenda
Plan questions and prompts for your panel and audience
Assign roles (Emcee, note taker, photographer etc.)
Roles, emcee, microphone facilitator, greeter, set up crew, clean up crew, promoter/inviter, note taker, videographer, photographer

7. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: WHEN
Be strategic

8. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: WHERE
Appropriate-sized facility
Technology considerations
Seating arrangements

9. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: DOCUMENT
Note taker
Photographer and videographer
Collect names of attendees for future contact and information about Fruved

10. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: PROMOTION
Flyers around campus
Social media
Classroom announcements by students and faculty
Other unique ways to communicate on your campus
ROCK

11. Planning a Town Hall Meeting: OTHER
Scripts
Food or incentives (door prizes)
Handout with agenda and contact information
Consider a keynote speaker
Schedule the location for adequate time
Start planning as early as possible
Script writing: to describe what the meeting will be about, who the panel is, and how the meeting will help advocate for health and wellness on your campus

12. Executing a Town Hall Meeting
Make sure everyone knows their role
Confirm location, equipment, food, etc. a few days before
Promote up to the start of the meeting
Get there early to set up
Have fun and create an comfortable, but productive, atmosphere

13. Learning from the Town Hall Meeting
Review notes and video from the meeting with your team
Discuss themes
List concerns and solutions
Summarize the meeting to send to attendees
Create flyers and social media posts

14. After the Town Hall Meeting
COMMUNICATE your findings and how you plan to advocate for change on your campus!
FOLLOW UP with the attendees for future meetings and events

15. Conclusion An effective way to understand your school’s community
Be sure to stay organized and plan early
Create a comfortable and productive atmosphere
Review the meeting with your team
Communicate your findings with your community
Begin advocating for change

16. Questions?