Notice: Focus Group

As posted in the Anni forum last week, we will be forming a focus group to discuss possibilities around adding additional protections to future real life events. I am sharing the information below in SA so that everyone has a chance to see what the purpose and expectations are of the group. Membership admins were given a head's up the same day I made the initial post about this, so some groups have already started gathering interested participants.

Focus Group Purpose:

• To discuss and seek out potential protocols to put in place for future real life events (Spring Fling, Anniversary Party, Euro Party) in order to provide additional layers of protection for our event attendees
• To consider the associated manpower, financial costs, storage, time, etc. needed to implement any suggested protocols
• To advise and make such recommendations to the Events leadership, Keeper, and Amyrlin

Focus Group Participants:

• 2 from each Ajah
• 2 from each Company
• 1 Unaffiliated SM
• 2 Junior Members (any combination of Novice, Recruit, Accepted, Soldier that JMs decide upon)
• 1 Citizen
• Events Leadership (MoR-NA, MoR-EU, Director)

Groups will decide their own participants. If there are more from a respective group who want to represent their group than allowed and the group itself cannot decide, the Amyrlin will have final say on who represents whom. If there are less than the maximum number for a respective group, then the group will have those spaces in reserve should willing participants step up later on in the process.

Keeper, Amyrlin, future Cordamora, and optional Executive leadership will moderate the discussion.

Focus Group Member Responsibilities:

• Be a voice for your membership group and/or area. While you are a part of your group, you are not the only voice. Be sure to share your group’s thoughts and ideas, and not just your own.
• Communicate regularly within your group and with the Focus Group as a whole. If your communication does not satisfy your respective group, your Membership Administrator may request a change in Focus Group membership for their group.
• Contribute productively to discussions, and be mindful of how others perceive your words. Everyone with access to the Focus Group discussion has the right to state an opinion or share factual information about relevant topics and be heard.

Dates and "how this works" things:

• Membership Administrators will need to send names to me. Please post your representatives in the Membership thread or email keeper@tarvalon.net with names.
• Representatives will be added to the focus group discussion forum on/around December 2, 2022. If your Membership group needs more time to find people and/or decide on volunteers, send/post the names when you have them. This will not be a quick discussion, and being added a few days after discussion starts won't preclude anyone from participating.
• Pacing of the discussion will really depend upon the group. It is not my intent to stifle discussion, so I really don't know how long this will take. But it would be nice to have some sort of recommendations prior to Spring Fling, which will be in spring(ish) 2023.

Maybe a stupid question but have you been surveying or plan to do a survey on other reasons that keep people from attending live parties. There were some questions of that direction in the Europarty questionnaire, but beyond that. I would think that if we talk about ableism wrt covid, similar issues are in place in all kinds of live parties.

(Also, I don't want to start that discussion here, and wasn't sure if this warranted its own topic or if this could be included in the focus group discussion.)

I think that was the idea behind the Euro party survey, to find out why so few people attend Euro Party. But maybe that will be a question in the Focus group as well!

I am interested in participating in this.

Natalya Laragan said:

Maybe a stupid question but have you been surveying or plan to do a survey on other reasons that keep people from attending live parties. There were some questions of that direction in the Europarty questionnaire, but beyond that. I would think that if we talk about ableism wrt covid, similar issues are in place in all kinds of live parties.

(Also, I don't want to start that discussion here, and wasn't sure if this warranted its own topic or if this could be included in the focus group discussion.)

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I know that @Ahmyra al'Ruley is working hard to collect information re: Events. We'll also be doing a membership survey this year -- we held off on it last year as so many of us were new!! But in spring we'll have a year (ish) of working, and will be putting out a survey. Questions inquiring in this direction could definitely be beneficial.

While I would prefer the Focus group stay more around COVID, I am not opposed to this being discussed.

That being said, if folks have ideas or comments in general, email myself (events@) or the MoR’s (naevents.tarvalon@gmail.com)

Thank you! I will look forward to the membership survey and other forums and might send a few comments in, Ahmyra.

Just commenting so I'll get notifications....

Keisha al'Benn said:

Just commenting so I'll get notifications....

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This thread was made to let the community know a focus group was being formed and what the guidelines would be. It will not be updated beyond that. Events will ultimately handle outward communications about events as they roll out.

Good to know, thank you @Erin al'Denael