Breakout Session Types

Four different types of Breakout Sessions have been designed to amplify diverse voices and promote opportunities for delegates to share their experiences in engaging ways at this year’s conference. The organisers will provide speakers and moderators with guidance and templates for the different formats. Here you can find more information about what to expect from each type of session:

Strategy Conversation

• Length: 90 minutes – 5 minute introduction by the moderator, maximum of 4 presenters speaking for 10 minutes each, 10 minutes reserved for the moderator to ensure the smooth flow of the conversation, 30 minutes of group discussion, 5 minute wrap-up by the moderator.
• Objective: To facilitate strategic discussions around the conference themes by bringing together a panel of delegates from the Forum network and beyond to share high-level, concrete insights and real-world examples that allow delegates to examine an issue from different strategic perspectives.
• Description: A more traditional panel discussion – each session will include speakers invited to share experiences on strategic thinking and planning in the volunteering sector.

‘How-to’ Workshop

• Length: 90 minutes – 5 minutes introduction by the moderator, maximum of 2 presenters speaking for 25 minutes each, 30 minutes of group discussion, 5 minutes for wrap-up by the moderator.

• Objective: To strengthen technical knowledge build the capacity of delegates in relation to both research and evidence, as well as practical project management skills

• Description: Each session will have two in-depth presentations by speakers sharing good practice related to their organisations’ work, as well as applied research.

Human Library Session

• Length: 90 minutes – 5 minutes introduction by the moderator, 30 minutes for first round of ‘book’ presentations and discussion, 5 minute break, 30 minutes for second round and discussion, 5 minute break, 15 minutes of final discussion with the whole room, facilitated by the moderator.

• Objective: To provide a space where conference delegates can informally present a piece of work, project, or experience to a small group. The group will then be given time to ask questions and engage with the presenter in a conversational format. Each ‘human book’ tells their story to a rotating small group, maximising the opportunities for participants to hear several overviews within a session. The informal structure invites sharing and conversation between delegates.

• Description: Each session will include speakers as ‘human books’ sharing a title for their presentation, with chapter headings outlining the detail they will cover. Their stories will be short (10-15 minutes), and members of their small group will be invited to ask questions or respond. Groups sit in a circle, inviting conversation, and delegates rotate after each session and go to another story in the human library in the room.

Short Presentations – Lightning talk or Pecha-Kucha

• Length: 90 minutes – 5 minute introduction by the moderator, maximum of 6 presenters speaking for 7 minutes each, 40 minutes of facilitated group discussion, 10 minutes wrap-up by the moderator.

• Objective: To convey information or ideas through a concise and visually stimulating presentation format – either short single-issue Lightning Talks, or Pecha-Kucha (which means ‘chit-chat’ in Japanese, and is explained in more detail here). In these sessions a set of dynamic presentations will deliver compelling messages in a short timeframe, and the information that is presented can then be unpacked with the delegates during discussion.

• Description: Each session will have speakers presenting their ideas through short presentations. In the case of Pecha-Kucha, visual slides will be set to move automatically after 20 seconds as the presenter is speaking.