Planning a participant or staff retreat
Abstract
Retreats are a way to gather your staff and/or participants in a relaxed setting to share ideas, reflect on experiences, discuss service issues, learn new skills, and work on team-building. This practice provides several suggestions for implementing an effective retreat, including advice on how to organize and define the goals of a retreat. Includes sample agendas, examples of ground rules, and a retreat feedback form. Excerpted from the Corporation for National and Community Service's Handbook for Continuous Improvement.Issue
Retreats are a valuable resource, but much of their potential can be wasted if they are planned ineffectively. Retreats should always be a forum for learning and working together that supports program activities in the field.Action
Consider the following when implementing a retreat:- Define the desired outcome of the retreat.
- Determine who needs to attend in order to accomplish the desired outcome.
- Decide whether you will use a facilitator to help plan the agenda and manage the retreat.
- If you use a facilitator, decide whether s/he should be from outside the organization or inside the organization.
- Once you know how many people to invite and the type of space you need, identify a facility that can accommodate your requirements.
- Visit the facility if you are not familiar with it to verify the accommodations.
- Develop an agenda for the meeting and determine whether you want the attendees to do any work prior to the retreat.
- Schedule some "fun" or "down" time for attendees to reflect and just enjoy being together.
- Hold retreats that last longer than a day at the beginning of the week. Participants will be much more focused if they have had the weekend to relax.
- Reconfirm details with the facility a few days before the retreat.
- Arrive early the day of the retreat to set up the room.
- Ask everyone to complete a Retreat Feedback Form at the end of the retreat.
Citation
Corporation for National and Community Service. Handbook for Continuous Improvement, "Tools and Practices," and "Participant/Staff Retreat," pp. 1-12.Outcome
Properly implemented retreats can create a setting that encourages communication and strengthens bonds as well as give you a better understanding of your participant/staff needs.Posted On
February 27, 2001Resources
From The Resource Center library:
Handbook for Continuous Improvement
Item number: R0118