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Venue Input

by Duane Raymond — last modified Jul 31, 2007 12:00 AM
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QUESTION: Would you prefer to keep the 2008 eCampaigning Forum event hosted by Oxfam GB or hosted at an Oxford college? The pros and cons of both options are below.

Options Pros and Cons

Oxfam GB Hosted Oxford College Hosted
Pros Pros
  • Cost: Lower cost (only slightly according to the estimate below)
  • Timing: It can be held any time (January and March are best according to past input)
  • Food: Full influence over food sourcing for lunches (organic or fair trade)
  • Integrated meeting space, accommodation, eating space and social space in a more secluded atmosphere and the charm of an Oxford college = more effective gathering (meetings and networking)
  • Size: More space = more interesting people attending event (max 150 - but probably max 100 for 2008)
  • Location: a more central location in Oxford
  • Childcare: in the protected space of the collecge, childcare by a group of participants partners could happen and thus allow more people to attend (this has stopped some people from attending in the past)
   
Cons Cons
  • Size: Limited to 75 people = fewer interesting people and ideas
  • Location: not very accessible (on the far east side of Oxford far from the centre)
  • Cost: Higher cost (only slightly according to the estimate below) - but you could still opt-out of morning and evening meals and stay off-site if that helped reduce costs.
  • Timing: It could only be in March each year when the Oxford University mid-term break occurs
  • Food: Little influence over food sourcing (organic or fair trade)
   

Summary: An Oxford college hosted event would be more expensive to attend, but more effective use of the time. A more effective use of the two days should mean better value when returning to the office and thus be a good 'return' - but many of your budgets don't work that way :-)

Cost Difference Estimate (per person)

This estimate includes not only the participation fee (£250 in 2007) but other costs a participant would normally pay directly (rather than via FairSay)

  Oxfam GB Hosted Oxford College Hosted
Organisation £250 £250
Room & Meals £185 £200
Meeting Rooms £0 £25
Multi-Media £0 £5
Transport in Oxford £10 £0
All inclusive £445 £480
Day Delegate £310 £330
Day Delegate + Dinner £360 £380

Assumptions

  • 100 paying participants
  • Costs include taxes and service charges
  • All inclusive: 2 night accommodation in the cheaper rooms (non ensuite)
  • All inclusive: 3 meals a day + morning/afternoon tea/coffee/snacks
  • We walk to pubs or socialise in the college
  • Cost of getting to Oxford is not included

Note 1 : for day delegates, if you have to pay separately for accommodation,
breakfast and dinner you need to factor this in.

Note 2: There will still be 20 subsidised places for delegates, but the cost might still be higher than 2007.

Input please. Include organisation size (S/M/L) and country

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Closer than I expected

Avatar Posted by Duane at Jul 31, 2007 09:42 AM
The cost difference between the two is closer than I expected - and I rounded up in a number of cases for the Oxford college option. Given this smaller-than-expected cost difference, I'd suggest going for the Oxford college option, but it depends on what you think.

Note: the 'weekend retreat' organised by Rob, Rolf and George this year was i a college and it was an excellent atmosphere, partly due to the surroundings.

Now I need to hear what you think...

pros

Avatar Posted by Karen Ortiz at Jul 31, 2007 10:36 AM
Oxford Uni college is much easier to reach than Oxfam offices. Since they are central, its more time efficient and nice (better atmosphere). I think delegates would find it more appealing and practical. Since I do work for a large organisation, the cost implications aren't that important.

Venue input

Avatar Posted by Caroline Jones at Jul 31, 2007 10:51 AM
I think it would be good to have the option of everyone staying together at a college, for maximum info-sharing time. As a member of a large org. I don't think the cost would mean that great a deal to us either.

Why would a college mean 'more effective use of time'?

Avatar Posted by Duane at Jul 31, 2007 10:58 AM
I was asked in an email 'why would an event at an Oxford college be a more effective use of the time!. here is my response in case anyone else in wondering (and so others can contradict me is they like!)

I think because most of us would be in one place most of the time - and thus interesting conversations could have more time to happen. Currently we spend a fair amount of time - especially after the formal agenda is over each day - going back to our hotels, re-assembling, catching cabs to a restaurant, etc. For some, this break time is very important, but for others, they'd like to keep having conversations and meetings without these interuptions.

My experience of events where everything is on one site is that while they are intense, they mean that there is always something interesting happening. Of course - those wo arrive and leave at the end of each day won't get this benefit - but most don't do this.

...it may also mean we can start early and end later each day - or have evening meetings/discussions if people want them At the Oxfam location we have to allow time for people to get there and back as well as be out of the building by a certain time (and can't use it at night)

College. Without a doubt.

Avatar Posted by Martin Lloyd at Jul 31, 2007 11:08 AM
Better location, more atmospheric and if you pick a well wired one probably no worries at all on connectivity. (large organisation, Netherlands)

college

Avatar Posted by Rolf Kleef at Jul 31, 2007 03:00 PM
Hi Duane, the price difference indeed is much smaller than I thought. Add another 100-150 pound or so for my travel to Oxford, substract a little for saving by bringing our own drinks, and it evens out to a trivial margin on the total amount for me.

Even if it had been a bit more expensive, I would still go for it: the overall atmosphere of having space to retreat (have a little break for yourself), a very focused surrounding, plenty plenty of break-out spaces for conversations or group discussions, and the complete removal of all travel logistics during the day, will allow for a much more Open Space style meeting, where it's much easier and inviting for participants to initiate their own sessions. And even the idea of just walking out the door and being in Oxford is great :-)

I'm sure you didn't expect any other vote from me ;-)

Rolf Kleef, drostan.org, small in The Netherlands

college

Avatar Posted by Anne, medium, UK at Aug 01, 2007 03:38 AM
Though it was nice to be so welcome at Oxfam's offices, I think a college would be better once the costs didn't increase above your estimates Duane. If a college was more central it also removes cab costs for people from the stations etc. to the Oxfam offices. Also ,as someone who didn't have access to her email for the time she was in Oxford this year and thus had to go back to work to swarms of email etc. and had a general sense of dread that work was pikling up for her return, it would be better to have the event someowhere where there may be increased availability of public-use computers for those of us whose budgets (or orgs) won't stretch to the right spec laptop!!

College

Avatar Posted by Pete Cranston at Aug 01, 2007 04:06 AM
Agree with all the comments so far: would add that there would probably be more focused attention from the Oxfam people who come, since they could far less easily pop in and out, which would help the dynamics I think, though there might therefore be fewer.

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Blog Authors
Duane Raymond Duane Raymond
Location: London, UK
I set-up FairSay in 2004. From 2001-4 I pioneered Oxfam GB's eCampaigning and I've been working with NGOs and the Internet since 1989.