If you’re wondering how to organize a skill swap event, here’s an article that you’ll find useful. There are plenty of exchange fairs in the world that offer a variety of products or services. Based on the traditional markets where people used to interchange clothes, food, furniture, etc., now the exchange of skills is becoming increasingly popular.
Why not start your own Skill Swap event
There are many projects like this across the globe, all started from people’s own initiatives. So there’s no reason why you can’t do this in your town, community, or city. You’ll be surprised to find out that some of these events, which are now quite popular and have become a tradition, started small. In fact, the epic Skill Swap in Vermont started with a dozen of people in a field that belonged to the grandfather of one of the organizers.
The first thing you need to consider is that the opportunity to start a Skill Swap traditional event in your hometown may be just around the corner. Moreover, you can organize it in your neighborhood, at your children’s school, or at work.
5 tips to organize a successful Skill Swap event from scratch
Here are the first things you should consider:
- The time and the place
- The participants (who will you invite?)
- Participation rules
- Communication and execution
- Equipment
- Possibility to offer snacks
- Cleaning
Set the time and place
These are key aspects of an effective organization. You have to choose a venture that’s big enough for the number of people you want to invite. You also might want to consider connections regarding public transportation or how easy it is to commute by car, motorcycle, bicycle etcetera. Try to set a time and date that doesn’t interfere with work hours. Weekends are always a good idea. Holidays too, but keep in mind that many people may be out of town for such occasions.
Make sure you get a minimum amount of participants
Skill swapping is about exchanging knowledge, hence, to make it attractive you need to have enough participants. Set up the minimum amount that you need for the project to work. This can be from 5 to 20 people depending on your goals, available resources, the size of your venture, and similar factors.
Who to invite
If this is your first time you probably want to start with people you’re close to. Naturally, this is the safest option at this point. Feel free to invite friends, but also coworkers, neighbors, and people that you know from other social environments. Keep in mind that this is an excellent opportunity to foster collaboration bonds both for this event and your next ones.
If you want to exchange intellectual abilities there’s also the possibility to do it online. This is a great choice if you want to work with people from different towns. The next video shows an example of how an online skill swap session goes.
Establish clear rules
Although this may seem unpleasant at first, it’s vital for a smooth event. Set up the rules for knowledge or ability exchange. For example, if one person provides an hour-long lesson about gardening, they are entitled to one hour of tuition for whatever skill they choose. Most importantly, write the rules down and make sure everybody has access to them.
Communication and execution
If needed, set up a group to help you organize the event including promotion, invitations, flyers, etc.
Equipment
Make sure to provide the right equipment for the activities to take place. In many cases, people will have to bring their own stuff, so make sure they have the space and resources to set them up and use them.
In this regard, creativity may be your best ally helping you create a nice environment where everyone can develop their skills.
Snacks and beverages
If you want, you can offer snacks and beverages. If you are a bit more experienced, you can get these through sponsorship or simply ask every person to bring something.
Cleaning up
Whether you’re holding your event in your backyard or in a rented venue, keep in mind that you’ll need to clean up. Make sure to organize this in advance by setting up recycle bins. You’d also need to have all the cleaning gear that you’ll need in advance to use right after the event ends.
We encourage you to take on this challenge as this will be an unforgettable experience. Organizing a Skill Swap event may be difficult at first, but it brings great benefits in the long run.
