Workspace
What should your space be like?
On the surface, this issue may seem trivial, but in our opinion, it is a well-chosen and developed space that determines the success of the project. Of course, we do not mean the best equipped conference rooms (of course, if you want, things like that will also fulfill their role), it can also be a meadow, a tavern by the lake or an ordinary common room. However, most importantly, it should be a place that is fully adapted to the chosen workshop methods, the topic of the exchange and activities that you have envisaged in that space.
What should be in this space?
Space can become your ally. Of course, it is not always an easy ally, sometimes it will be a difficult cooperation, but we assure you – the more time you put into a well-thought-out strategy of using the place, the more effective the work of the participants will be. So you should ask yourself what can and should be found in such a space:
- a place for a coffee break (such that each participant has free access to it),
- workshop materials (it is worth setting them up in a place that will be visible and known to each of the participants, so that they can go for the necessary materials at a convenient time),
- it’s worth ensuring universal access to an energy source (a lot of extenders) and Wi-Fi networks,
- instructions, posters, regulations, a schedule and other important pieces of information that may be useful to participants (it is worth to hang them in physical form on the walls),
- devices that may prove necessary during all kinds of presentations and speeches, such as a projector or a laptop (of course, if required by the program).
The space in which you implement the points of the program does not have to be constant. By this we mean that you can change it according to your invention. However, it is important to provide, if possible, one permanent common room, which during the exchange becomes a place “belonging” to each of the participants.
Why should the space be clean?
It might seem prosaic, but it is often forgotten. Remember to maintain the best sanitary standards in the places where you meet and work. If it is a room, remember to air it, clean it (of course, what organizer / organizer you do not have to do on your own, see the point below). It is also important, as already mentioned, to adjust it to the goals assumed at a given stage of the program implementation. That is why it is important to be able to change the configuration of the room before specific classes.
Why is it worth creating rules for the use of common space?
The answer is very simple; it’s about building a sense of responsibility for the place where you work or spend your free time. At the very beginning (i.e. when writing down the principles of cooperation – see: INTEGRATION), it is worth considering the principles of space use, e.g. cleaning up after yourself, not leaving valuables unattended. The creation of such regulations may protect you from many problems that may arise during the exchange.