What tools exist to ensure the roles and responsibilities of a major meeting are met?

The use of a ‘roles and responsibilities’ document is discussed earlier in Chapter 6 on the coalition’s ‘collective voice’. Sharing the burden and being clear about who is doing what, are equally important principles when it comes to managing logistics.
One way to organise the coalition team in around the key areas to cover is set out in the table opposite. There is sometimes a tendency for those responsible for managing a coalition team to underestimate the amount of time it takes to tackle organisational aspects such as visas, conference registration, sponsorship of campaigners and accommodation. If at all possible, it is advisable to assign one person to each of these tasks.

The first stage is to work out what needs to be done. The second stage is to make sure it happens – which means keeping track of who is doing what. Very often coalitions are seen in terms of their policy positions, public statements and media profiles – but it is good logistics that will make the coalition work effectively around the key meetings.

STRATEGY AND COORDINATION

• Overall coordination
• Liaison with key external partners × Strategy, content and documents
• Representation and coordination in host country

FINANCE AND SPONSORSHIP

• Overall budget, management and reporting × Reimbursements and payments
• Sponsorship programme

LOGISTICS

• Coalition participants
• Accommodation
• Transportation
• Support to participants with disabilities × Office, printing and supplies
• Managing volunteers

CAMPAIGN AND ADVOCACY

• Advocacy and campaigning in advance of meeting
• Lobbying during meeting
• Post-meeting action planning
• Campaign meetings

MATERIALS AND DISPLAYS

• Materials
• Exhibitions and display
• Professional photo exhibitions