One way to recruit volunteers, spread the word about our key issues, and gauge community support for those issues is house meetings – an easy and powerful way to build community. As a house meeting host, you will invite your social network to participate in a discussion around our country’s most pressing issues and OFA’s plans to organize around them.
Planning for Your Meeting
Step 1: Set Goals
How many people do you want to attend? Then quadruple that number -- that should be the number of people you invite, expecting that only a fourth will come. What do you want people to get out of the house meeting?
Step 2: Register your Event
Take a moment to register your event online. Registering your event online means you’ll get your own page for your event, be able to send an invite to your friends, track who is planning on attending, and send details and reminders to your attendees. Be sure to select Meeting as your event type. Another option is to have the meeting in a public space: restaurants, libraries, and coffee shops are all good locations
Step 3: Recruit Attendees
Invite as many people as possible to attend your house meeting. Make phone calls and tap into your network of friends, neighbors, and colleagues to find volunteers. You can also find your local My.BarackObama group and invite members to attend by emailing the group's listserv. You may also want to create your own flyers promoting the meeting and post them at your local coffee shop, grocery store, or library.
Step 4: Prepare all of your Materials
You may want to print out the following items:
- • sign-in sheets
- • informational flyers with more ways to get involved
- •relevant policy one-pagers
You also may want to play a short video or clip from a speech. If so, make sure your computer, TV or DVD player is set up and ready to go.
Lastly, don't forget to prepare a short explanation of why you became involved and what inspired you to stay engaged after Barack Obama won the election.
Step 5: Reminder Calls
Be sure to make reminder calls to everyone who has signed up online or has told you verbally they plan on attending. Turn out will increase dramatically if you ask them for a firm commitment. You can download your attendee list through
Manage My Events on the MyBO side menu.
Sample Agenda For Your House Meeting
This agenda is meant as a suggestion to guide you through your house meeting. Feel free to adjust the agenda to best suit your goals and needs.
0:00 Welcome & Thanks (to any co-hosts or volunteers who assisted you with your meeting)
0:05 Your Story
Why did you take leadership in Organizing for America? Where do you come from, what one or two experiences in your life led you to decide to take responsibility and action? Why do you think supporters need to stay engaged?
Why are you hosting this meeting?
0:10 Group Introductions
Depending on the size of your meeting – encourage everyone to introduce themselves, and if time allows, – ask them why they got (or have stayed) involved or what inspired them to come to your meeting tonight.
0:25 Video, webcast, or clip from a speech that relates to the issue your meeting may be centered on (optional)
0:30 Group Discussion: Moving Forward & Taking Action
Why is this issue so important? What does everyone in attendance want to know about the issue? What are some ideas on how we can educate our community about this issue? What are some actions we can take to support President Obama as we move forward with this issue as a country?
Ask attendees to host a House Meeting of their own!
1:00 Close
Capture Information
Enter your data online. If you are unable to enter the data online, fax it to (202) 350-6058 or you can mail it in:
Organizing for America
430 South Capitol Street SE
Washington, D.C., 20003
Remember, this is very important because it will help manage the group and allow Organizing for America to better gauge what resources we need to provide to our local organizing teams.
Thank your guests
Send a personal email thanking everyone who participated in the meeting. Be sure to stay connected with your fellow volunteers and get ready for the next action!
Congratulations
Congratulations, you are making the change you voted for possible. Now begin planning your next event. It's up to each one of us to keep this movement going and keep fighting for change.
