As you plan a retreat for Aktion Club members, there are some important considerations — including the differences in members’ abilities and attention spans. Here are some elements to think about:
- Purpose. What are your goals for the retreat? What do you want members to experience and accomplish?
- Facilitators. It’s important that members see people like them leading sessions. How will club officers help? Is a speaker with developmental disabilities available from a local organization? Could an organization that your club helps provide a hands-on activity for a learning session or a guest speaker?
- Program. Here are three important things to consider: the topics you’ll cover, the types of sessions, and the format of content. Do fun teambuilding activities and have a guest speaker. Make sure sessions are active and use images and visual aids.
- Length. How long should the retreat be? Two to three hours is reasonable if you keep sessions short and members active. Design the retreat to consist of well-organized mini sessions of no longer than 40 minutes each.
- Timing. Will your retreat work better at the beginning of the service year, when you install new officers, or at mid-year? Does your district hold a mid-year education day? If so, the district could add a retreat session for your Aktion Club at the event.
After you’ve decided these important questions, create a basic retreat description. Then get planning — invite members and speakers to this special club event!