Unit 3: Put together your workshop proposal
After choosing your workshop topic, next, create a one-page ‘workshop proposal’ to outline your workshop’s structure and content. This step helps turn your knowledge into a planned workshop. Use this proposal to explain your workshop to host organizations and participants.
Review these workshop proposal examples:
- Example 1) Danielle’s workshop proposal (one-pager-danielle.pdf)
- Example 2) Felix’s workshop proposal (one-pager-felix.pdf)
Reflect on the following questions:
- What are the main parts of a workshop proposal?
- Identify which parts are essential and which parts might be optional.
For additional examples, visit our educational resources library at TeachSurfing’s library.
As you noticed in Danielle’s and Felix’s example, a workshop proposal consists of 10 sections. Throughout this course we will guide you on how to fill in different sections of the proposal. In this chapter we will start with explaining you the first 4 sections: “About the presenter”, “Workshop summary”, and “Target group”. Click through the below table and learn about the first four section of a workshop proposal.
Write the title in a descriptive and attractive way. When deciding on the title, think from the audience’s point of view – what is their learning interest and why they should join your workshop? What is the unique knowledge and experience that you can share with them which they cannot find in books or on the internet?
One way to write a catchy but comprehensive title is to divide your title in two parts: the main title and a one-liner explaining more about the workshop. Some examples of catchy titles are:
– “Career development workshop – an atypical career path in the field of IT”
– “Syria through my eyes – introduction to Syrian culture and my journey from Syria to Germany”
– “How to create a website using WordPress in 10 steps – hands-on workshop”
Write one paragraph about yourself answering the following questions:
1.What’s your name?
2.Give a short summary of your CV.
3.What is your cultural background and where are you from? – TeachSurfing workshops aim to bridge the cultural gaps through knowledge sharing. By offering a workshop you are not only sharing your knowledge but you become a representative of your culture and country. The participants not only learn new knowledge but get in direct contact with a person from a different culture and build openness for new cultures.
4.What experience makes you qualified to offer this workshop?
List your study or work experiences related to the workshop. For example, if you are offering a workshop about renewable energy, mention where you gained this knowledge, for example, your education or work experiences related to this field. If you teach meditation, explain what kind of meditation and for how long you have been practicing.
5.Finally, what is your motivation to share your knowledge?
Most TeachSurfers are passionate about a specific topic and they experience that certain communities do not have access to this kind of knowledge. This creates a strong motivation and desire to share their knowledge. Other people may have participated in a TeachSurfing workshop and became inspired to give back to the TeachSurfing community with their own knowledge.
Your workshop summary shall include the building blocks listed below:
-Workshop objectives
What is your workshop about? What will the audience learn? How your workshop will help the participants to reach their goals? For instance if you are sharing your language and culture you can set your workshop objective as “by the end of this workshop you will be able to have an ice breaking conversation and write your name in Farsi”.
– Theoretical & Interactive section
A workshop is a combination of theoretical and interactive parts. In the theoretical part, the participants learn about the topic and in the interactive part they exercise their learning by doing. You will work on this section in more detail in Chapter B Unit 3.2.
Who would you recommend to take part in your workshop?
Are there any age restrictions or previous knowledge required?
For example:
1.Age 16+
2.Participants should have basic knowledge in C programing including statements (if/else, while, for) and operators (==, <, !=, ++, &, |, ~).
Coming up in Chapter B Unit 3.2.
Coming up in Chapter B Unit 3.2.
Coming up in Chapter B Unit 3.2.
Coming up in Chapter D Unit 1.2.
Coming up in Chapter D Unit 1.2.
Coming up in Chapter D Unit 1.2.
Based on Danielle and Felix’s proposals, you learned a workshop proposal includes 10 parts. In this unit, we’ll help you complete these sections step by step. Explore the table below to understand the sections of a workshop proposal.
Workshop title
Write the title in a descriptive and attractive way. When deciding on the title, think from the audience’s point of view – what is their learning interest and why they should join your workshop? What is the unique knowledge and experience that you can share with them which they cannot find in books or on the internet?
One way to write a catchy but comprehensive title is to divide your title in two parts: the main title and a one-liner explaining more about the workshop. Some examples of catchy titles are:
- “Career development workshop – an atypical career path in the field of IT”
- “Syria through my eyes – introduction to Syrian culture and my journey from Syria to Germany”
- “How to create a website using WordPress in 10 steps – hands-on workshop”
About the presenter
Write a short paragraph about yourself, covering these points:
- Your name.
- A brief overview of your work or study background.
- Your cultural background and where you’re from. Sharing in a workshop means you also share your culture, helping others learn and appreciate new perspectives.
- What experiences make you the right person to run this workshop? Mention any relevant education or work experience. For example, if your workshop is on renewable energy, share where you learned about it. If it’s about meditation, mention your practice details.
- Why do you want to share your knowledge? Maybe you’re passionate about a topic not widely available, want to grow your professional network, or start a career in training.
Workshop summary
Write a brief summary of your workshop, focusing on:
Objectives: What’s the purpose? What will attendees learn? For example, if your workshop is about sharing your language and culture, an objective might be for participants to learn basic greetings and write their names in the language you’re teaching.
Theory: Include a bit of background knowledge. Mainly share useful, applied knowledge like real-world examples and your own experiences.
Interactive Activities: Plan engaging activities so participants can learn by doing. Here’s how:
- Start with a Q&A session to engage everyone and repeat it after each section for feedback. For diverse groups unfamiliar with each other, consider quick activities for introductions.
- Organize exercises in pairs, groups, or individually. For language workshops, pair learners with native speakers. If you’re teaching a skill like programming, provide hardware samples for hands-on practice.
- Use real-life scenarios. For instance, conduct mock interviews to enhance job interview skills, discussing tips and improvements afterward.
Target group
Who is your workshop for? Consider if there are specific age limits or prior knowledge needed. For instance:
- Suitable for ages 16 and up.
- Participants should know basic C programming, such as if/else, while, and for statements, as well as operators like ==, <, !=, ++, &, |, and ~.
Required material
What do participants need to bring to the workshop? What material does the organizers need to provide? For instance:
- Participants should bring drawing blocks, pencils, USB sticks
- Host organization should provide projector/computer
Agenda
The agenda offers a brief overview of your workshop for the host organizations. It should cover:
Introduction:
- Share information about yourself and your background.
- Explain why you’re the right person to conduct this workshop.
Theoretical Section:
- Outline the key topics your workshop will address.
Interactive Section:
- Describe the interactive activities planned for the workshop.
Date & duration
- If unsure of exact times, provide a range when you’re available (e.g., between July 1 and August 10). Specify a general workshop length (2-4 hours) and a possible start time (e.g., 4:00 PM).
- For set dates, clearly state the day (e.g., July 27, 2023) with the duration (e.g., 2 hours) and note if the start time is still to be decided.
- If you’re flexible, mention your availability (e.g., Wednesdays 5-8 PM) and the expected length (e.g., 3 hours).
Workshop language
Choose the workshop language thoughtfully. Ideally, use a language common to both you and the participants, often English or the local language. If you’re not using your native language:
Presenters: If presenting in a second language, speak more slowly and simplify your content to ensure clarity and comfort.
Participants: If language barriers exist, consider using a professional translator for accurate, real-time translation, enhancing workshop quality. Note, this may extend the workshop’s duration (e.g., a 2-hour session might last 3 hours with translation).
Visuals and Simplicity: For non-English speakers, lean on visuals and straightforward content to aid understanding, ensuring interactive activities are easy to follow.
Workshop location
Choose a location that fits your workshop’s needs. Consider the size of your audience and the equipment required, like participant seating, tables, whiteboards, projectors, and computers.
Number of participants
Set a range for your expected attendee count. Specify the minimum and maximum participants to ensure your workshop is tailored for effective engagement and interaction.
Do you have questions about preparing your workshop proposal? Join our Community of Practice Facebook group or Instagram group chat and post your questions. You will get immediate help from our community of experienced trainers.
How to join?
- For Facebook, request access to our e-VELP group: “The online course for TeachSurfers.”
- On Instagram, follow the e-VELP account and send a direct message stating you’re an e-VELP student seeking group chat access.
