Follow these easy steps for an effective and successful pro-life event!
Determine your goals.
Depending upon the vision and goals of your particular group, you will want to determine what the major topics or themes are that you intend on sharing with your campus. What is your main focus? Defending the personhood of the preborn? Or maybe revealing pregnancy and parenting resources for current students? If you are in an election year, you may consider doing events that focus on political action. Whatever you decide, be sure to be clear about this theme and to encourage particular talking points in order to stay on subject.
Decide on an event.
When considering event ideas, you need to consider your target audience and your group’s resources. Who will be observing and/or participating in your event? How will you share your message? What presentation style would be the most effective? Some messages will be easily shared by passing out educational literature. Other topics may require something more intense – like a public showing of a movie or a “cemetery” display of crosses.
Delegate responsibilities.
It can become quite stressful for two or three individuals to be expected to bear the responsibilities of planning, organizing, and executing an event. Determine what are the needs for location, publicity, materials, man power, set-up, and so forth. Designate individuals to be responsible for each of these tasks so that no one is overwhelmed with multiple assignments.
Publicize, publicize, publicize.
Even if your event is on a main area on campus, you want to make sure that you touch the lives of as many people as possible. Your words can change hearts, but you need ears to hear your words! Use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Flyer your campus to alert your peers of the time and location of your event. Advertise in the school newspaper. Tell everyone and anyone whom you encounter.
Rally the troops!
After having planned, organized, prepared, and publicize, get your group excited about your event! Enthusiasm is key to building momentum and encouraging participation. Prep your group members with the subject material prior to the event so that each person feels confident explaining and defending the talking points for the event. You will make a difference.
*Special Note: You should always have post-abortive resources on hand – but not necessarily on display. This allows you to distribute them when someone confides in you that they are post-abortive, but doesn’t “condone” the decision by displaying them. Click here to learn more about post-abortive resources.
Visit the “What You Can Do” page under the Middle School, High School, College, or Med/Law sections above to explore all of our pro-life event ideas.
As always, contact your SFLA Regional Coordinator if you feel you need some Event Planning guidance. Just email [yourstate]@studentsforlife.org.