Finding a new meeting venue after lockdown
Some spaces and properties might not be reopening after lockdown, so how do you find a new venue for your meetings?
Losing your usual venue doesn't mean you need to stop your unit meetings
First of all, don’t panic. Adventures at home will continue to produce new and exciting resources that you can use with your units. You might've tried virtual meetings this summer and there's no reason why these can’t continue. You can also meet outside whilst the weather is still pleasant and the evenings are light enough.
If you do want to look for a new venue for indoor meetings, follow this advice so you're prepared for looking at new spaces. Our advice on meeting spaces and times might be useful as well.
You don't need to find a venue that will ‘tick all the boxes’ - in most areas this would be an impossible task. It's more likely that you'll find somewhere that meets most, but not all, of your criteria. You should think about how you can work around this to run safe and fun Girlguiding meetings.
The advice on pages 14 and 15 of Being prepared can help you weigh up your options and make a decision.
Before committing to hire any venue, you must do a thorough risk assessment to make sure it's safe. You can find more information about risk assessing spaces and venues in our Health, safety and welfare policy and procedures.
Our information on using different venues and holding meetings at different times can help you think creatively about your unit meetings and find new solutions to retain your current girls.
Remember:
- You must not use private residential premises, like a persons home, for regular meetings.
- You must update GO when you change your meeting venue.
- If you meet at a temporary venue, you'll need to send out information and consent forms for parents and carers to sign.
In very exceptional circumstances HQ may give approval for meetings to take place in a private outdoor space, where there is public liability insurance in place, access is not via the private home, and there are toilets accessible without going through the private home. It’s also essential you have an effective method to communicate with emergency services if required.
New venue checklist
Here's what you should think about when choosing a new venue.
