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Trade School Vancouver is is a non-traditional learning community that runs on barter. Pay for class with items and services, not money. Through a partnership with V.I.A. we'll be bringing you stories of our recent classes we've put on, as well as giving you a heads up to ones you can sign up for. |
June was an exciting month at Trade School. Not only did we have 4 great classes, but we also won a grant from The Awesome Foundation to help us cover the costs of making Trade School more accessible!
Speaking of classes, here is what June had to offer at Trade School.
COMMON URBAN HERBS AND THEIR USES
One of our first few classes set outdoors was the Common Urban Herbs and Their Uses class taught by Nikoo Boroumand, certified chartered herbalist and second-time Trade School Vancouver instructor. After being blessed by dry and sunny weather in Vancouver for a few days, it ended up raining on the day of the class, which was scheduled to push through rain or shine.
A group of 12 soaked yet very much eager individuals gathered at China Creek Park South, unfazed by the weather, as we are Vancouverites after all. Nikoo led us through the park and also to a nearby community garden pointing out the different plants and herbs all around and identifying their many uses and the ideal ways of growing and consuming them. Majority of the students were surprised that plants that we consider as undesirable weeds are apparently still quite useful and nutritious. She also brought various sample herbs that she had growing in her own urban garden, such as mint, fennel, and sage, and described their many uses as well. Along the way, we picked leaves off the ground and nibbled on them, and at the end of the class, Nikoo also surprised us with some seeds to take home as well. It was a fascinating and informative class and it was definitely a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
EVENT PLANNING 101
- Setting a goal for your event. What is your key message? The simpler the better
- Creating an online event registration and information page using tools such as facebook and eventbrite
- Setting a budget. Plan out what your expenses will be, explore different option for funding such as neighbourhood grants, sponsorship, and fundraising. Keep in mind that ticket sales may be slow until a week before your event.
- Sponsorship. Relationships with sponsors can be rewarding for everyone, but you need to be strategic in finding sponsors. It pays to have a good well laid out sponsorship package.
- Marketing. Form a relationship with reporters, and give them a story to tell about your event. Tap in to the networks of your partners.
- Logistics. A detailed check list is essential. Volunteers can be an incredible help - it's useful to have their roles worked out and plan for some not to show the day of the event. Remember to check whether insurance and permits (food and or liquor) are required.
- Have a plan B, and maybe a plan C and D!
David Ngo helped shed some light on the world of Adobe's creative suite through his fundamentals class on 3 of the most commonly used programs: Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign.
