Challenging traditional events in response to challenging times
Tackling the COVID-19 crisis head on, Digital Storytellers hosted a virtual “Unconference” this month. With over 200 attendees purchasing tickets on Humanitix, we asked the Co-Creator Mikey Leung what he did to make the event such a success. If you’d like to watch a video of his insights, this has been included at the bottom of this article.
Tell us about your event — what was it about, who was it for, and why were you running it?
The Virtual Unconference was created for and by Australia’s social enterprises, who are all unique, innovative businesses that might just have some of the best economic and social impact solutions for meeting the COVID crisis the world now faces. Digital Storytellers, in partnership with the social enterprise sector and several leading social enterprises, ran the conference to get the sector networked and online at a time when our options for meeting up and connecting have decidedly narrowed.
What were the most successful aspects of your online event?
The best aspect was the crowdsourced agenda that goes along with creating an Unconference. Instead of some central figure dictating the agenda, we facilitated the group to create the agenda themselves, and then allowed event participants to choose which sessions they wanted to participate in. This unique way of organising an event allows for an express and answer of community needs.
What did you wish you knew before running the event?
If I had asked myself that question in the course of running the event I probably wouldn’t have done it! I wish that given myself more time to think more clearly about the future after the event, because now that I’ve convened it, I feel a deep sense of responsibility and duty to continue to support those who came and the sector that my business, Digital Storytellers, is a part of.
Why did you choose for your booking fees to support Indigenous Scholarships?
Naturally, in Australia, supporting our First Nation’s brothers and sisters should be inherent in every single impact decision we make. Proud that Humanitix offers this way of supporting event creators just through the simple action of purchasing a ticket.
Humanitix can help you host seamless virtual events (free or paid) while also generating funding for our education projects like Indigenous Scholarships or Education Programs for Disadvantaged Girls. Get in touch with us!
