Organizer Handbook

Welcome & how to use this

Thank you for helping run Rocky Cove Aquarium Club. Organizing is a team effort, and you are never expected to do it alone. This handbook is the why and what, the principles and expectations. The Runbooks are the how, tick-box checklists you follow the week of an event.

Keep this handbook open in a browser tab during planning. Share it freely with new volunteers, nothing here is secret.

Roles & responsibilities

We keep roles lightweight. One person can wear several hats, and hats rotate so no one burns out.

• Lead organizer: owns the calendar, confirms each event, and is the final point of contact.
• Venue coordinator: sources and confirms the space, checks accessibility, and is the on-site contact for the host.
• Session wrangler: finds and briefs session hosts, collects intros and titles, and looks after them on the night.
• Comms lead: creates the event page, writes announcements, and posts recaps across our channels.
• Welcome host: the friendly face at the door: greets arrivals and makes sure no newcomer stands alone.

Meeting cadence & format

We aim for one gathering a month, usually a weekday evening from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. Formats rotate to keep things fresh and to serve everyone:

• Session night: one or two hosts lead a topic, with time for questions. The easiest format to run.
• Hands-on night: everyone participates and makes something. Needs helpers roaming the room.
• Show & tell: five-minute shares, great for first-timers.
• Social: a lower-effort month to just connect the community.

A dependable rhythm matters more than a perfect one. If a month is quiet, run a small social rather than skipping entirely.

Choosing a venue

A good venue is the single biggest lever on how welcoming an event feels. Look for:

• Capacity for 20–40 people, seated, with room to mingle.
• Step-free access and an accessible washroom, this is non-negotiable.
• A screen or space suited to your format, and any equipment your sessions need.
• Within a short walk of transit or with easy parking.
• A host contact who can let us in, and stay or delegate a key holder.

Finding session hosts

Great hosts are all around us, including in our own audience. We actively lower the bar to leading a session:

• Invite first-timers and offer to co-host or rehearse with them.
• Keep an ongoing list of members who’ve mentioned a topic they love.
• Ask past attendees what they’d like to learn, then find someone to lead it.
• Reach out to neighbouring community groups for cross-promotion.
• Always confirm a title, a 2–3 sentence intro, and a photo for promotion.

What we tell every new host: no experience necessary. Whether it’s your first time leading a session or your fiftieth, we welcome you, and we’ll help you prepare.

Promotion & communications

Consistency beats cleverness. Post early, post again, and always include the essentials: what, when, where, and how to RSVP.

• Create the event on your RSVP platform as the single source of truth.
• Announce ~2 weeks out, remind ~3 days out, and post a “tonight!” nudge on the day.
• Cross-post to your usual channels.
• Use a consistent poster template so every announcement looks unmistakably yours.
• Write a short recap within a week, photos (with consent) and a thank-you to hosts.

Budget & sponsorship

Our events are free to attend and run on a shoestring. Most costs are covered in-kind by venue hosts.

• Typical costs: light snacks and drinks. Venues and equipment are usually donated.
• Ask sponsors for in-kind support (space, food, supplies) before cash.
• Thank every sponsor publicly, by name, with a link.
• Keep a simple shared spreadsheet of what was spent and who paid.
• Never require payment or personal financial details from attendees.

Safety & Code of Conduct

Every event runs under our Code of Conduct. As an organizer you are also a first responder for it.

• Open every event with a brief, warm reminder of the Code of Conduct.
• Make sure attendees know which organizers to approach with a concern.
• Take every report seriously, listen without judgement, and protect the reporter’s privacy.
• You can ask anyone to leave whose behaviour makes others unsafe, you have that authority.
• Debrief with a co-organizer after any incident and log what happened privately.

Day-of logistics

The Day-of runbook has the full checklist. In short:

• Arrive 45–60 minutes early to set up the space and the welcome table.
• Put up simple signage from the entrance to the room.
• Greet every person as they arrive; hand newcomers a friendly hello, not a form.
• Start within 10 minutes of the hour; keep sessions to time so people catch transit home.
• Take a few photos for the recap, always ask before photographing anyone.

After the event

The event isn’t over when the room empties. A tidy wrap-up keeps hosts happy and the community informed.

• Leave the venue cleaner than you found it and thank the host in person.
• Send thank-you notes to hosts and sponsors within 48 hours.
• Publish a recap post with photos and shout-outs within a week.
• Note what worked and what didn’t in the shared organizer log.
• Lock in a date for next month before momentum fades.