Previously on this blog, I’ve written about new and upcoming trends in the world of event strategy, and one trend I’d like to comment on now – vis a vis my work with Women in Transition Hudson Valley (WIT) – is a buzz word called “unconferencing,” which is a collaborative learning event organized and created for its participants by its participants. It is also a strategy borne of social networking and social media. In unconferencing, the guests and core constituents at any event are not just attendees, but designers of seminars and lessons in keeping with the goals of the event!

You know that feeling you get when you suddenly realize there’s a name for the thing you’ve been trying to achieve? That’s how I felt reading about this trend – because with some of my special events and particularly WIT, they have been for the most part, participant driven.

So what’s the next step for Women in Transition Hudson Valley? As we begin organizing our late spring event, we’ve been using the information shared and gathered during our facilitated workshop, and post event follow up to our guests. These women have come forward with the transitional issues of divorce and “post” domestic violence. They are forthright about the subtopics of these issues; wanting to share their experiences to shape the program for our next and future events. What’s needed in the Hudson Valley? Maybe something as simple as a nature walk with your friends! Paths through transition come in all shapes and sizes, and we want to explore all the options that might make transitions in the lives of these women smoother.

Responding to the needs of Women in Transition is WIT’s mission, and now that we’ve just finished appointing the members of our newly formed advisory board of fabulous women who can’t wait to bring their ideas to the table, we want to make sure to stay relevant to women in all kinds of transitions. Bringing meaning to each other’s lives and creating ways for women to seek and find support and resources, helping them to navigate these and many other transitions, are being driven by the very women that have become part of our grass roots movement, attending and creating the next set of WIT events. Last time around, we met over spas, workshops and great heart-to-hearts. Now we are taking direction from and responsibility for what the Women in Transition, Hudson Valley want us to offer next.

Unconferencing.