The IMA Regional Meeting / Conference Planning Guide

INDEX

• How is this version of the Guide different from the 2009 version?
• The Purpose of the IMA Regional Conference Planning Guide
• Background Information
• Purposes of the Regional IMA Meetings
• Expectations of the Partners
• Planning and Conducting a Regional IMA Meeting or Conference
  • First Steps
  • Suggested Timeline for Planning an IMA Regional Conference
  • Setting the Process in Motion
  • Dealing with Details
  • The Final Steps
  • Conducting the conference
• Post Conference Follow-up
  
• Appendix
  • 1. A needs assessment to determine the level of importance your potential attendees attach to various mentoring topics
  • 2. A sample budget for a one day conference
  • 3. The IMA Regional Meeting Loan Request Form
  • 4. Two examples of program formats  for one day, drive-in conferences
  • 5. A “Call for Proposals” for solicitation of conference concurrent session presentations
  • 6. A general conference evaluation form
  • 7. An evaluation form for a single conference session.

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The Purpose of the IMA Regional Meeting / Conference Planning Guidebook

This Guide is intended to help local IMA members around the world as they seek to hold local area mentoring conversations and to bring the support of the IMA closer to their area and to their mentoring colleagues. Such meetings might be one or multiple day conferences, or meetings of an hour or two. Examples include:

• discussion to assess mentoring needs and interests in a region or country
• organization of an IMA Affiliate group with an official relationship with the International organization
• a conference to share information about mentoring in general or about area programs
• a training, such as a mentor training, to build the skills of mentoring professionals.

While such efforts are of great interest to the Board of Directors of the IMA, it would necessarily be under certain specific conditions that IMA would consider co-sponsoring such an event.

The IMA Board of Directors views such regional meetings as a partnership between local area IMA members and the International IMA organization. As a partnership, there should be mutual benefits to all parties. IMA is especially interested in disseminating best practice information, increasing IMA membership, and that the quality and usefulness of regional meetings we co-sponsor be maintained at a high level. The Appendix provides guidance for your work, from which we both can benefit. We appreciate the efforts of our partners to provide a high quality, needs-focused program.  Our continued success as an organization depends on members who consistently find that, “when it says IMA on it, we know it will be good.”

This Guide can be used to shape regional meetings in which IMA participates. We also seek the input of regional IMA members who use this Guide, to help us refine it, make it more helpful, clear, and user-friendly. The easiest way for you to do this is to keep a copy of this Guide and add notes and suggestions to it, then submit it to your IMA facilitator.

Finally, if you are considering occasional meetings and formation of an ongoing group, go to the “regional” section of the IMA web site, print out, and consult the IMA Affiliate Guide.

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Introduction

Background Information

The International Mentoring Association Board has four primary purposes, to:

• Provide quality professional development activities for members of the Association and mentor program leaders
• Identify and disseminate effective practice and research information on mentoring strategies and programs
• Facilitate effective mentoring and implementation and support of mentoring programs
• Provide a regular, public forum for learning about effective mentoring

At its 2009 meeting, the Board decided to expand its ability to fulfill these purposes by fostering local and regional meetings where those interested in mentoring could gather to share ideas, knowledge, and best practices. This Guidebook provides information needed to plan and implement such a local IMA meeting. It contains background information and procedures which should aid you in implementing a successful meeting. The extent to which each group will need to plan will vary depending upon the extent and purposes of the local meeting. This Guide is meant to aid in the process so we have tried to limit the requirements we place on any such partnership.

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Purposes of the Regional IMA Meetings

The regional meetings are designed to:

• Support and supplement, not supplant the International IMA conference;
• Expand awareness of and membership in the IMA;
• Extend the leadership capabilities of IMA and honor the leadership resources among our membership;
• Strengthen the IMA as a leader in fostering an international mentoring initiative;
• Create financial support and a plan for ongoing regional meetings or an IMA affiliate, should one be desired.

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Expectations of the Partners

The International Mentoring Association will:

• Provide a board member who will serve as an IMA facilitator in helping to plan and implement the meeting, whether in person, via email, phone, etc. This person may also be a speaker at the meeting / conference, for whom no speaker’s fee will be needed.
• Facilitate use of the IMA website so that the meeting can be advertised
• Provide IMA materials for distribution or templates and allow these to be duplicated locally.
• Provide a graphic of the IMA Logo and IMA support language to be placed on all regional meeting marketing materials.
• The IMA may be able to loan a limited amount to support the conference, but this depends on why the regional group needs this support, the number of requests received, and the status of the IMA budget at the time. (See the Appendix for the Request Form)

Those planning an IMA regional meeting will:

• work with an IMA Board Member to plan and implement the meeting and to keep the IMA informed of their plans and the outcome of the meeting;
• include in the conference budget sufficient support for the travel expenses for an IMA Board member who is a speaker at the conference;
• place the IMA logo and support language provided on all regional marketing and program materials;
• use some time at the conference to make people aware of IMA, its goals and purposes, and how individuals and groups can join;
• plan and conduct the meeting using best practices so that participants needs are assessed ahead of time, the meeting is designed to meet those needs, and the meeting results are assessed and reported to the IMA;
• plan a meeting that will be at least financially self-sustaining.

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Planning and Conducting a Regional IMA Meeting or Conference

First Steps

The first step in planning a local IMA meeting is contacting the IMA president or a Board of Directors member and asking for a meeting facilitator. These persons’ contact information may be found on the IMA web site under the “Board” tab. You will be
informed of an IMA Board member nearest to you who will be your facilitator for the meeting.

Once you have your IMA Board facilitator identified, you can start the planning process. It is imperative that you keep your facilitator informed about your plans and involve him or her in the process. It is best to have a Board member attend your meeting to represent IMA, however, this is not a requirement. It will depend upon financial and other issues and will be decided between you and your facilitator. If the facilitator cannot be at the meeting, someone should give greetings from the organization. It is essential to keep a clear connection between the activity and the IMA a visible part of the meeting.

Beginning the Planning Process

In general, most IMA regional meetings should be a one day drive-in event. These meetings are not meant to replace the international conference. Instead, it is conceived of as a method for creating an awareness of the mentoring process; strengthening the IMA network; fostering the development and implementation of successful mentoring programs around the world; and often, development of a formal, on-going regional group such as an IMA affiliate. (If your want to start a local Affiliate of IMA, visit the IMA web site, “regional” section, and download a copy of “The IMA Regional Affiliate Guide”.)

The amount of time needed to plan for your meeting will vary. If it is local, involving a small group from a single organization, with invited speakers, you might need six to seven months. However, if it is going to involve a larger group or be a regional event and includes selected presentations, you may need as much as 12 months. Use the enclosed “Timeline” to guide your planning. The first steps in the process are:

• Establish a planning committee of 3-8 members.
  The number will depend on the nature of the meeting and who is going to be included. You should have enough members to get the work done, but not so many that it is difficult to get them together to plan, or that making decisions
  takes too long. The planning group should be representative of the various stakeholders whom you want to attend the meeting. It is wise to use technology in your interactions and communications.
• Identify personnel and other resources that can be of assistance. For example, if an area organization has an events
  planner, staff development or training center, or marketing expert, you may be able to access their expertise to handle such things as marketing, finances, volunteers, registration help or other needs. Consider any potential associated
  costs.
• Determine potential attendees
  • Types of attendees- Will you include a singular group (i.e. teachers and faculty members, business and corporate people, health professionals) or a variety of people. A focus on just one group may make sense for an initial gathering, but for long-term success and enhanced learning, inviting mentoring professionals from across roles and settings is a good idea. IMA fosters mentoring across domains and prefers that regional meetings do the same. However, this may not be practical and is not a requirement of the organization.
  • Identify key people or groups and create a master database of potential invitees. If your meeting is open to a wide group, contact the IMA for a list of good prospects for attendees from your region.
  • Determine potential dates. In part, this is dependent on the potential attendees and possible meeting spaces. Plan this as early as possible to capitalize on less expensive venues and increase calendar flexibility. It is also important to allow several months advance notice to adequately advertise the event. For example, the IMA newsletter is issued quarterly, so no less than 2-3 months are needed to use this free advertising media.
  • Determine the physical meeting site and the mileage or range of invitations. If the meeting is a half or full day event, a drive-in range of 100 to 200 miles will probably be the most efficient. IMA recommends that the first meeting sponsored by a group follow this model, since it is easier to plan and implement. However, if the group feels that it would like to have a full day or a day and a half event, IMA does not object to that if the group believes they have the capacity and support systems in place to handle this, and if potential attendees can find inexpensive overnight lodging.
• Decide the potential meeting / conference structure
  - Issues to consider are:
  • Seek IMA marketing support. Inform the IMA, as soon as possible, of the above decisions and request that these be publicized in the IMA web site, the IMA “Mentoring Connections” newsletter, and other IMA generated publicity items
  • Select the meeting theme or focus. Building the meeting plan from assessed participant needs is a key way to guarantee success. This requires advanced planning and the expertise to efficiently survey the potential audience. In the case of a very focused participant group, the needs may already be known and the theme fairly obvious. Generally, the more practical your theme, the better will be the response to it.
  • Decide on a program structure – Read the attached “Example Program Formats” at the end of this
    Guide, then pick or adapt one for your use, or plan your own. Consider the following issues:
    • Do you want a Keynote speaker? The IMA encourages this as people want to hear from experts. The IMA will provide a mentoring expert for such a role at no fee. All the regional planners need to do is budget for and pay the expenses of this person’s travel and participation.
    • Who should be included and asked to make opening welcome comments? First, consider asking a well-known local community leader from a key co-sponsoring local entity to welcome guests. Then, allow about 10 minutes to explain what the IMA is and does, and to describe its co-sponsoring of this event and sponsoring of the International conference. Finally point out the benefits of IMA membership in the membership flyer, and tell how to join IMA.
    • What opportunities will you provide for sharing and networking? A recent IMA survey found this to be an essential element for mentoring professionals. A good way to provide this is during a provided luncheon. The cost of this can be covered in registration fees, it allows for discussion, and it takes less time than does a “lunch on your own” approach.
    • Will you have individual presentations, such as in a series of 1hour sessions, and will they be invited or selected?
      • Invited sessions are hard to set up, unless you know quality mentoring leaders and speakers in your area who can do this. Your IMA facilitator may be able to help here. Pick topics that are practical and related to your theme. Ask if speakers will do it gratis this first time.
      • Selected sessions require a “call for proposals” and considerable advanced notice. The challenge of this method is that you can only choose from among those who apply to present. If the quality of ideas proposed is low, or the range of topics is inadequate, you will be “stuck”.
      • A third possibility is to put out a “call”, see the quality and topics you get, and consider asking a few other speakers of known quality to fill in the schedule with needed topics.
    • Do you want a panel discussion or symposia and will they be invited or selected from submissions to address important mentoring questions?

  Plan Other Details

• Determine if speakers or session leaders will be required to register for the conference, and if so, will they pay a full or reduced fee?  IMA usually requires speakers to pay a “speaker’s fee” which is reduced some.
• Determine audio-visual / technology requirements. Be careful as this can be surprisingly expensive. Explore early the site’s requirements, costs, etc. or their openness to you bringing in equipment from your own organization, if that is possible. It is often not financially feasible to provide all the AV thepresenters may wish to use.
• Decide if you will have an exhibit area, vendors, and how much you might charge them for each table or area. The cost should depend on any charges you’d pay the site to set up, provide electricity, “drape” tables, and on the number of attendees you can provide for a vendor. To start with, try:
  • Under 50 attendees – $ 50 per table space
  • 50-100 attendees – $100
  • 100-200 attendees – $200
  • 200-300 attendees – $300 (see a pattern here?)
• Please provide at least one table space for IMA literature you can request your IMA facilitator to arrange be sent to you.
• Determine if you want to and can organize a silent auction with donated goods from participants or local businesses. This can sometimes be a money maker, but requires space, added organization, and oversight.
• Reserve the meeting site. If possible, select a location that will be free of charge or be a minimum expense. For example, on a Saturday, a school or a university setting may be free of charge or easily available. Visit the space to be sure it will meet the meeting requirements. Assure that the space is large enough, that there are enough meeting rooms, that needed furniture can be provided, that there is adequate parking, adequate restroom access, and if you are going to have food, that there is adequate support to do so.
  • Please note – IMA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS MADE LOCALLY, SO BE CAUTIOUS IN SIGNING CONTRACTS THAT BIND YOU FINANCIALLY UNLESS YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN MEET ANY FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.
• Determine the budgetary requirements
  • Determine what would be a maximum participant charge. The typical fee ranges from $50 to $150 a day for meetings like this, depending on the length of the day, quality of the program, amount of materials provided, and other factors that impact participant perception of the value they receive. It’s OK to plan to make some money, but keep it reasonable or it can lower participation numbers.
  • If you have an IMA regional affiliate or will be forming one:
    • Consider what a reasonable membership fee might be for the year. Base this on benefits to members and costs to the affiliate.
    • Consider whether existing affiliate or any IMA member will receive some discount from the full meeting cost. This rewards member involvement and is an incentive to nonmembers to join to get
      that discount, so we recommend it.
• Discuss these budgetary issues with IMA regional facilitator. IMA may be able to contribute a limited amount in the form of a loan to support the conference, but this is depends on the reasons stated earlier.
• Seek sponsorships and donations from associations, corporations, and any others, especially those with an interest in mentoring.
• Create a timeline that includes tasks and responsibilities leading up to the event. Here is a starting point for your timeline.

Suggested Timeline for Planning an IMA Regional Conference

Time Before Event	Activity
7 months before	Prepare a electronic database mailing list for people you will invite, with a field for “Conference Interest” and “Attended (date)”. Send general (date, site, and contact person) conference info and “Call for Proposals” to the IMA for placement on their web site.
6 months	Send emails (for those whose addresses you have) inviting them to the conference, asking for a “statement of interest” response in 2 weeks. Send a similar mailing to non-email persons you want to invite, including a stamped post card for esponse. Give both groups the web address where your “Call for Proposals” can be viewed and completed.
5 & 1/2 months	Deadline for receiving response to invitations. Mail “Call for Proposals” to all, to apply to do a concurrent session presentation
5 months	Mark database for those expressing an interest. Revise the suggested needs assessment.
4 & 1/2 months	Send the needs assessment with a deadline to those who expressed an interest. Deadline to receive back proposals for concurrent session presentations. Sort proposals by quality, into “possible” and “wait list”, then sort the “possible ones by topic categories
4 months	Deadline to receive back needs assessments. Analyze results.
3 & 1/2 months	Plan final conference program details based on need assessment priorities, such as keynote topic, which programs to select for concurrent sessions, whether a 1/2 day workshop is needed and on what topic, etc. If a 1/2 day workshop is to be done, work with your IMA facilitator to select and finalize the workshop leader/speaker. Get that leader’s bio for publicity.
3 months	Finsh and print Conference Program Pre Registration materials
2 & 3/4 months	Mail Conference Program Registration materials to all interested parties. Send a copy to the IMA newsletter editor and web site master, requesting that they publicize it and update web pages
1 month	Deadline for “early registration” discount. Start “Late registration fee”. Adjust budget, space usage plans, etc. to match regitration numbers
1 week	Finalize all volunteer assignments and confirm. Confirm final numbers for food and space needs with site staff. Confirm AV and other site logistics with appropriate site staff. Add 10-15% to the number registered and prepare copies of all materials to go into conference folders. Stuff the conference folders. Add IMA logo and conference title stickers on folders. Prepare name tags, signs, etc. Confirm arrangements with keynoter, any workshop leader, volunteers, and other presenters.
0	Conference begins.

Setting the process in motion

• Contact and confirm speakers and special guests. (If there is a need for overnight arrangements for these people, confirm those.)
• Send out call for proposals if you have decided to include concurrent session presentations. Refer to the “Example – Call for Proposals” in this Guide if you choose to do this, or you may use your own design.)
• Determine how proposals will be judged and selected. Consider providing for varied levels of experience of attendees, a balance of program and mentoring practice coverage, and a range of diverse settings and or program types (business, youth, community-based, etc.)
• Develop marketing materials and send them out. Seek IMA support for your marketing efforts. Be sure to include the required “IMA co-sponsoring” language.
• Contact local news agencies and other outlets to get information out. Have a prepared PSA (public service announcement) ready with the who, what, where, when, and why information in it. Having contact people from these various agencies on the planning committee is helpful
• Revise budget as needed to reflect recent decisions.
• Meet / communicate on a regular basis with planning committee.
• Send out conference content descriptions and pre-registration materials. (Consider having a lower fee for those who register early, those who are confirmed speakers, and for current IMA members).

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Dealing with Details

• Continue planning meetings following your timeline.
• Continue marketing activities. Be sure to include the following language on every marketing and program piece:
  • “This meeting / conference is co-sponsored by the IMA Regional Planning Group (or Affiliate name) and the International Mentoring Association – www.mentoring-association.org”
• Send out notices to presenters and confirm their attendance.
• Send out registration reminders.
• When the registration deadline passes, revise budget and space needs .
• If you plan on publishing a “Proceedings” of the conference, be sure that presenters are aware of that ahead of time and ask them for a summary in whatever format you deem feasible. On-site collection of handout is easier if planners carry and provide a “flash drive”, and ask each presenter for their file while still at the meeting. Make arrangements for someone to edit and publish these “Proceedings”. Consider if you will accept “PowerPoint” presentations, as they may require a speaker’s words to make much sense of them. You could include these if they seem pretty complete, but, in this case, do not leave a speaker with the impression inclusion is automatic. Positives include sale of the “Proceedings” as a fundraiser. A negative may be that some could think they can get the “Proceedings” cheaper than registration costs for attending the meeting.
• Determine on-site logistic needs.
  • Registration table, signs and session lists to facilitate making choices.
  • Session facilitators / moderators – if you are having small group presentations
  • Audio-visual equipment needs of speakers
  • Food requirements
  • Room set-ups for tables and chairs, orientation in the rooms, water and note pad/pen availability, etc.
• Determine what will go into registration packets and what will hold these materials (eg. pocket folder with IMA logo on front).
  • Meeting Agenda with times and room assignments
  • Handouts, such as site floor plan to aid finding rooms, restrooms, etc.
  • IMA information, membership flyers, the IMA web site address, etc.
  • Information about sponsors, planning group, and key speakers
  • Attendee list with contact information to encourage networking
• Determine if there will be any speaker gifts or certificates.
• Arrange for photographs to be used in after-event publicity.
• Develop signs and posters to facilitate finding registration areas, sessions and general traffic flow. Walk through the site from the parking lot, thinking about the difficulties a newcomer might have deciding where to go. Check with the site manager regarding their policy on signs.

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The Final Steps

• Develop a final responsibilities list and distribute to all involved.
• Check weather report for possible delays and determine if any changes need to be made.
• Double-check on all special arrangements, gifts, contact main speakers and confirm arrangements, etc.
• Assemble registration packets (Name tags are suggested. Determine if name tags will be prepared ahead of time (best for readability) or if registrants will make their own.
• Assure that there are enough materials for on-site walk-in registrations.
• Review registration procedures with involved persons.
• Confirm on-site logistic arrangements (keys or timely access, cell phone numbers for emergencies, security, catering, AV, and set up mangers’ phone numbers, etc.)
• Check that any computer and Internet hookups are ready and working.
• Plan an area where presenters who arrive early can store their materials and AV.

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Conducting the conference

• On-site staff should arrive at least two hours early and begin checking details and arrangements so all is ready when people start arriving early.
• Guest speakers should have someone available to meet and assist them.
• Set up registration table and post signage.
• Greeter, ushers, and escorts should be in place.
• Plan for clean-up and moving of materials when conference is complete.

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Post Conference Follow-up

• Send thank you notes to participants, presenters, guests, volunteers, and others who assisted.
• Review all invoices and other budgetary information for accuracy.Pay any outstanding bills related to the regional meeting.
• Add the actual expenses and income to the right hand column of the budget to determine profit earned. If the regional meeting or conference is based on a needs assessment and is well planned to address the identified needs, it should make a profit. (See Appendix for a Budget example)
• If the event made a profit, consider how to balance your dual need to eventually repay IMA whatever it loaned you as “seed” money, and your need to reserve funds for future events so you can avoid the need for another loan. Partial loan repayment this year is possible, but please plan to repay the remainder as soon as you are able. Just communicate your decision and circumstances to your IMA facilitator.
• If your event is very successful, you may wish to consider sharing any profit with the IMA. Such profit sharing helps us support future regional or international events, reduce Board member out-of-pocket expenses, support new initiatives, and similar needs.
• The planning group or newly elected IMA affiliate leadership should determine how the regional group share should be used. Some suggestions are:
  • Keep funds to serve as seed money for a future regional meeting or conference.
  • Start an Affiliate bank account and reserve the funds as working cash to pay for room deposits for future meetings, speakers at meetings, or affiliate mailings of future meeting announcements.
  • Support travel or registration for affiliate leaders to attend the next International IMA Conference
  • Honor some group or individual in your area which has fostered mentoring programs
  • Provide an award for an outstanding mentoring program in your area.
• Prepare a report to submit to IMA and to the conference planning team and any other appropriate groups or individuals. The report to IMA should include:
  • A list of planning committee members with contact information
  • A list of participants with contact information so that we can send them IMA information. Please total the number of attendees and speakers.
  • A copy of the program
  • A copy of all the materials in the registration packet
  • A conference “Proceedings” if one is developed (both paper and electronic)
  • Conference evaluation summary
  • A paragraph about the best thing about the conference and a paragraph about something you would do to improve it in the future
  • Any additional thoughts you might have that would help IMA or others who might want to plan meetings in the future. This would include submitting an annotated copy of this Guide with your suggested improvements.
  • A copy of the final meeting budget with projected and actual costs.

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APPENDIX

This Appendix contains several examples of forms and formats you may use or adapt to fit your needs as you develop your plan for and conduct
a regional IMA meeting or conference. These examples include:

1. A needs assessment to determine the level of importance your potential attendees attach to various mentoring topics
2. A sample budget for a one day conference
3. The IMA Regional Meeting Loan Request Form
4. Two examples of program formats for one day, drive-in conferences
5. A “Call for Proposals” for solicitation of conference concurrent session presentations
6. A general conference evaluation form
7. An evaluation form for a single conference session.

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Sample Budget for One Day IMA Regional Conference

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The IMA Regional Meeting Loan Request Form

Sometimes the IMA is in a budgetary position to provide small loans to regional planning groups to help support holding a
local mentoring program / meeting or conference. Before you complete this form, check with your IMA facilitator to learn if the IMA budget could provide such support to you when you would need it. If the facilitator’s response is “yes” that does not mean your loan request will automatically be approved.

If there is an opportunity for an IMA regional meeting loan, print a copy of it, complete the form, keep a copy for your own records, and send the original to your IMA facilitator. The facilitator will add the required remarks and then submit it to the Board of Directors on your behalf.

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The IMA Regional Meeting Loan Request Form

Region or country from which participants will be invited ____________________________________________

Date(s) of intended meeting / conference __________________
.  (circle)   One day drive-in,   Multiple days (#? ___ )

Location for intended meeting (city) ________________________,
State / Province ________________, Country ___________

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Name of person completing this Loan Request _____________________________
. (Must be a current IMA member)

Role in an IMA affiliate or regional planning group, if any. ____________________________

Phone # ____________________________    Email address _________________________________

Address _______________________________, City ________________, State/Province ______________

Country _________________________,  Postal / Zip Code _______________

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Theme of conference or Title of Speaker’s presentation (if a shorter meeting) ________________________________________

Name of Your IMA Regional Facilitator is ____________________________

Amount of funds for which your group is applying (in USD$)  $_____________

Briefly explain the intended use of the loan.

What is the plan for repaying the requested loan?

As an elected representative of the ______________________ region/ country IMA Meeting Planning Group, I promise to use the funds for the above stated purpose(s). I promise to guide the planning so that a reasonable opportunity exists for sufficient income to be made by the intended meeting to repay this requested IMA loan, and that the planning group agrees to repay it to the IMA as soon as is feasible.

__________________________   ______________________  _________________

Print your name                                             Sign your name                               Date

Send this completed for to your IMA facilitator to add the required remarks and then submit it to the Board of Directors.

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(Your IMA Regional Facilitator completes the following section.)

_______ (Initials)  I have been in satifactory communication with the planning group submitting this request, regarding their plans which this loan would support.

_______ (Initials)  I am satisfied that the planning group in using good practices in the planning process for their intended
event (using the Guide, assessing needs, etc.).

_______ (Initials)  I am satisfied that the planning group is incorporating good practices in the program design for their intended event (based on needs data, etc.).

_______ (Initials)  I have inquired with the IMA Business Manager and sufficient funds for this request have been reserved to support this loan request       .

_______ (Initials)  I offer the following comments in support of or as reasons for rejection of this request for a loan for the intended event.

______________________________________     _________________

Signature of the regional IMA facilitator
Date

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Example: Needs Assessment for Regional IMA Mentoring Conference

Please complete the following to help us plan a one day mentoring conference to effectively meet your needs.

Do you consider yourself a beginner in mentoring? Intermediate?  Advanced? (circle one)

1. My role in mentoring is (circle any) Mentor – Mentor Program Director – Researcher – Mentor Program Committee Member
- Other? ________

2. Mark and “X” on this continuum to indicate how you would balance use of meeting time.

Emphasis on Mentor Practices
-1 – - -2 – - -3 – - -4 – - – 5 – - – 6 – - -7 – - -8 – - -9 – - -10 – Emphasis on Mentoring Programs

Please circle how important any of these topics are for your own learning.

3. Mentoring Practices	Very UNimportant Very Important
A. Helping reluctant proteges to grow	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
B. Assessing Protege needs	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
C. Designing Mentor responses to Protege needs	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
D. Understanding my Mentoring Style	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
E. Understanding the Roles & Tasks of Mentors	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
F. Building a trusting Mentor-Protege relationship	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
G. The difference between Coaching & Mentoring	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
H. Facilitating Protege self-assessment & goal setting	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
4. Mentoring Programs
A. Designing a NEW mentor program	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
B. Improving an EXISTING mentor program	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
C. Evaluating a mentoring program	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
D. Recruiting, selecting & matching Mentors	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
E. Training effective mentors	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
F. Incentives and recognition of Mentors	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
5. Mentor Program Leadership
A. Ongoing support & improvement of Mentoring	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
B. Demonstration program results and impact	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5
C. Generating & sustaining support for the program	1 – - 2 – - 3 – - 4 – - 5

If the conference addresses your priorities, how likely are you to attend?  (circle) Very,  Maybe,   Not

Please write any comments on the reverse side.

Return this survey to (name) at (address) by (date). Thanks you.

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Example Program Schedule Formats

Short organizational meetings or other discussions are easy to structure and may include a social hour / gathering time / appetizers, welcome comments, a speaker, discussion time, and a brief business or planning meeting (if the organization will meet again, or is an IMA affiliate).

Longer events can be more complex. Here are two tested and proven options for one day “drive-in” conferences for your planning committee to consider. Of course, other schedules and program choices can work well too. However, we find that longer conferences can be more expensive for attendees, due to hotel and meal expenses, and probably greater registration costs, so participation can be reduced. This is less likely with a “name” speaker(s) and a program based on an assessment of needs.

One Day Drive-In Conference Option A

(Uses a delayed start time to allow for travel of 1-2 hours, up to 120 miles. Provides keynote speaker, 2-6 concurrent sessions, and a regional IMA affiliate meeting.)

8:30-9:30 am Conference Registration, coffee and tea available

9:30 am Welcome (from local planners & IMA repr. 15 min.
- Keynote Speaker (45 min.)

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45- 11:45 Concurrent Sessions (pick from 1-3 scheduled at the same time)

11:45-12:00 Break

12:00-12:45 Luncheon (plated / family style, buffet / usually more $, or box lunch / usually least $)

12:45-1:00 Break

1:00-2:00 Concurrent Sessions (pick from 1-3 scheduled at the same time)

2:00-2:45 Regional IMA Affiliate organizational Meeting / Business Meeting, evaluations

2:45 Conference adjourned

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One Day Drive-In Conference Option B

(Uses a delayed start to allow for travel of 1-2 hours, up to 120 miles. Provides 1-3 concurrent sessions and an in-depth mentoring program workshop.)

8:30-9:30 am Conference Registration, coffee and tea available

9:30 am Welcome (from local planners & IMA repr. 15 min.
- Keynote Speaker (45 min.)

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45- 11:45 Concurrent Sessions (pick from 1-3 scheduled at the same time)

11:45-12:00 Break

12:00-12:45 Luncheon (plated / family style, buffet / usually more $, or box lunch / usually least $)

12:45-1:00 Break

1:00-4:30 Option A – In-Depth Mentoring Workshop (eg. How to develop a new mentoring program, or How to improve an existing mentoring program) Pick Option A or B.

Option B – Three concurrent sessions featuring mentor programs, 45 min. each

4:30 pm Conference adjourned, turn in evaluations

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Example “Call For Proposals”

Annual (Midwest USA) Region Mentoring Conference

(date)

(location)

Sponsored by the International Mentoring Association

Call for Proposals

Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. on (date) to (name) at (address).

Speaker InformatIon

Primary presenter (individual completing this application). Please note that all speakers (including co-presenters) are required to register for the conference and are provided a reduced conference fee.

Prefix (circle) – Dr. / Ms. / Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.

First Name __________________________Last Name ________________________________

Position/Title _________________________________________________________________

Organization _________________________________________________________________

Preferred Mailing Address ______________________________________________________

City ______________________State/Province _______________Zip/Postal Code __________

Country _____________________ Day Phone ____________________________________

Fax _________________________ E-mail ________________________________________

Have you presented at a previous IMA Conference? Yes ____ , No _____      If Yes, please list year(s): ______________________________________________________

Presentation Proposal : Please attach or send electronically.

1. Session title – The title should clearly describe the session in 50 characters or less.

2. Session Description – The program description will be included in the conference program and can be no longer than 50 words. If text does not fit in text box, please attach a separate Word document.

3. Session Content: Your proposal must contain the following elements:

• a. objectives or goals;
• b. Research or theoretical framework (If personal experience is the basis, include resume)
• c. Importance of the information presented;
• d. Insights, lessons learned, or implications of the information presented for others;
• e. Outline of the content to be presented.

4. Session Process

5. Indicate the approximate percentage of the session time to be used for: – Presentation ___ ,  discussion ____ ,  individual
activity/reflection ___ , small group activity___,   observation of video or demonstration ____ ,  other (define) ____ .

6. AudioVisual Request – (Please note that because of high rental costs, the IMA will not provide LCD projectors, computers or a VCR Player/TV)  Overhead Projector ___ ,   Screen Only ___ ,   Flip Chart/Markers __ ,   None Required

7. Target Audience – K-12 Education ___ ,  Community-based
___   ,Higher Education ___ ,  Business/Industry ___ , Government/Military
___ , Public Services ___ ,  Health Care & related ___ ,  General/For All ___ .

8. Audience expertise – Beginning ___ ,  Intermediate
___ ,   Advanced ___ ,  Suitable for All Levels of Experience ___ .

Co-Presenters – Please list complete names and organizations of all co-presenters as you wish to have them appear in the
conference program. Only those people listed below will appear in the program. Only the Primary Contact listed above will be contacted regarding conference acceptance, schedule, and registration.

Presenter #2

Prefix – Dr. / Ms. / Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.

First Name __________________________Last Name ________________________________

Position/Title _________________________________________________________________

Organization _________________________________________________________________

Preferred Mailing Address ______________________________________________________

City ______________________State/Province ______________Zip/Postal Code __________

Country _____________________ Day Phone ____________________________________

Fax _________________________ E-mail ________________________________________

Have you presented at a previous IMA Conference? Yes ____ , No _____

Presenter #3

Prefix – Dr. / Ms. / Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.

First Name __________________________Last Name ________________________________

Position/Title _________________________________________________________________

Organization _________________________________________________________________

Preferred Mailing Address ______________________________________________________

City ______________________State/Province _____________  Zip/Postal Code __________

Country _____________________ Day Phone ____________________________________

Fax _________________________ E-mail ________________________________________

Have you presented at a previous IMA Conference? Yes ____ , No _____

Send proposals via mail, fax, or e-mail by (date) to (Person’s Name)

IMA Regional Conference

(Address)  Phone # ______________ Fax # ________________  E-mail Address

Include additional pages as necessary.

Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. on (date) by (name) at (address).

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Example “General Conference Evaluation”

GENERAL EVALUATION

Annual (Midwest USA) Regional IMA Conference – (location) (date)

This conference was designed to meet YOUR needs and help you solve YOUR mentoring challenges. We need your feedback about this year’s conference to ensure that next year’s conference is even better at meeting your needs. Please respond to the following items.

Name _______________________
1. Are you currently an IMA member?   Yes   No

2. My Role is:

a. Mentor program coordinator

b. Mentor

c. Protege-mentee

d. Researcher

e. Trainer-consultant

f. Other _____________

3. My affiliation is with:

a. K-12 education

b. Higher education

c. Business-industry

d. Health care

e. Community-based

f. Public services

g. Government / Military

h. Other ____________

4. My position is:

a. Mentoring program coordinator

b. Faculty

c. Employee

d. Student

e. Self employed

f. Other ____________

Please assess statements #5-12 using a scale where 1= strongly disagree and 5= strongly agree

5. Generally, the content of this conference met my expectations	1  – - 2  – - 3  – -4  – - 5
6. I will be able to apply what I learned at this conference in my own situation	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
7. There was sufficient opportunity for networking	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
8. The number of concurrent sessions scheduled was appropriate	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
9. The following featured events were helpful and informative:
a. Keynote Speaker	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
b. __________________________	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
c. __________________________	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
10. Registration procedures were well run	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
11. The conference was held in a good location and facility	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5
12. I would recommend this conference to a colleague	1  – - 2  – - 3  – - 4  – -5

Please feel free to offer other comments on these or other speakers or activities.

13. How did you learn about this conference? (check all that apply)

a. On the IMA web site

b. Received a brochure in the mail

c. Heard about it from a colleague

d. IMA email Newsletter

e. Other ___________________

14. Comments on any speaker that you feel the IMA Board of Directors should hear. (+ or -)

15a. Which session was most beneficial to you?

15b. Why was that session so beneficial to you?

16a. Which session was least beneficial to you?

16b. Why was that session not beneficial to you?

15. Please list any speaker suggestions for next year’s conference.

16. Additional comments.

Questions about Forming an IMA Regional Affiliate

17. Would you be interested in joining a regional affiliate of the IMA, which could meet two times a year for learning and discussion of mentoring topics? (circle) Very Much,  Yes,  Maybe,  No.

If interested, please give us your email address. Thanks. ______________________________

Please return this form to the “Evaluations” box on the registration table. Thank you!

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Example “Individual Session Evaluation”

Individual Conference Session Evaluation

(Midwest USA) Regional IMA Conference

(Location – Date)

Time of presentation ____________ , Presenter __________________________________

Presentation Title ___________________________________________________________

Please assess the following items using 1 for stongly disagree and 5 for strongly agree.

A. The topic is generally important	1  – - 2 – - 3  – - 4  – - 5
B. The session content was useful for my work in mentoring.	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
C. Instructional methods were appropriate for content	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
D. Visual aids were adequate and helpful.	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
E. Presenter’s knowledge of the topic was excellent.	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
F. Presenter’s pacing, volume and clarity were appropriate.	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
G. The content of the session aligned with the description.	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
H. The session met my expectations.	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5
I. I would like to learn more about this topic	1  – - 2  – - 3 – - 4  – - 5

J. How could this session be improved? __________________________________________

K. Other comments?

Please give this completed form to the session
moderator.

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