August 10, 2009 [ORGANISING DIVISION K CONVENTION]

Organising Division K Convention

By Lee Chye Ewe, DTM

Background
1. Division K covers clubs in Sabah, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan and Brunei Darul
Salam
2. There are two division K conventions held every term, the semi-annual and annual
conventions.
3. It emulates the District 51 Convention so that members from Division K too could
have their own convention in a smaller scale, without having to travel too far for the
district convention.
4. Normally clubs within convention K will bid to host the convention at least one
convention earlier.
5. This gives the time frame of 5 months for all the necessary planning and preparation.
6. When there is no bid for a convention, clubs with abilities, convenience, experience
and resources are requested to host it.
7. Such clubs are normally from Kota Kinabalu where the majority of the Division K
clubs are.
8. Decision on hosting the Division Convention is decided during the Division Council
meetings, normally held either during the convention or TLI where all the Division
council members meet.

Convention Programmes
Generally a Division Convention will consist of the following programmes:
1. Division Council Meeting
2. Workshops on Toastmasters Educational, Leadership or other related topics
3. Welcome Dinner / Fellowship Dinner
1. A theme is normally fixed for the evening
2. Dinner
3. Speeches: OC, Division K Governor
4. Performances from every Area
5. Announcement for Speech contests
4. Keynote Address, if any
5. Speech Contests
1. Semi Annual Convention
1. Evaluation & Humous Speech Contests
2. Annual Convention
1. Table Topics and International Speech Contests
6. Farewell Lunch / Tea

Organising Committee
The basic Organising Committee will consist of:

1. Organising Chairperson
a. Chairs and conducts all meetings
b. Normally assumed by Area Governor of the respective Area where the
convention is held
c. Oversees all the planning, preparation and implementation of the convention
d. Liaises with Division and District leaders
e. Makes decision when meeting is not possible
f. Acts as Hotseat, assumes roles of role players who are unavailable
g. Convenes Post Mortem meeting to evaluate the event

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2. Secretary
a. Handles all record of minutes
b. Handles correspondence as instructed by OC or committee
c. Filing of all installation records
d. Prepares invitations of Guest of Honour, Speakers, Participants
e. Prepares Secretary’s Report on the Convention

3. Treasurer
a. Opens an account specially for the convention
b. Handles all money matters related to the convention
c. Collect registration fees from participants, in advance and on the day of
registration.
d. Collects advertisements and sponsorships
e. Make all payments
f. Prepares Treasurer’s Report

4. Registration Director
a. Prepares Registration Forms
b. Distributes forms through Division K Governor and Area Governors
c. Keep all participants details
d. Set up registration counter
e. Prepares Name list, name tags for participants
f. Works with Door Gift Director
g. Divides participation into packages, full or partial, and proposes rates

5. Public Relations Director

a. Optional if OC is handling the matter
b. Promotes the convention to every club within the Division and makes sure a
minimum number of participants is achieved
c. Newspaper write up / Press conference
d. Banners
e. Convention website for online one stop information and registration
f. Police Permit

6. Advertisement & Sponsorship Director

a. Looks for sponsorship and Advertisements to fund and subsidise the
convention expenditure
b. Prepares Advertisement and Sponsorship forms
c. Proposes rate and expected collection
d. Delivery of Souvenir Magazines to advertisers & sponsors

7. Souvenir Magazine Director

a. Handles the planning, compilation and production of souvenir magazines
b. Works on a budget and get the best printer
c. Number of copies to be printer
d. Contents to include
i. Messages & photographs
ii. Division Convention Programmes
iii. Organising Committee
iv. Location maps for convention activities venues
v. Information and activities about Toastmasters, Division K
vi. Previous Division Speech Contests results
vii. Photographs

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viii. Other contributions from members of Division K

ix. Advertisements

8. Food and Beverages Director

a. Confirms number of participants
b. Decides on number of meals, refreshment
c. Drinks for speakers
d. Finds out the best place and price for the food
e. Orders food according to number of participants
f. Ensures punctuality

9. Venue Director
a. Proposes and confirms on the best place to host the convention and lodging
for participants
b. Venue must suit all the activities and hold them all under one roof to
minimize transportation and time wastage
c. Liaises with venue owner for all necessary preparations and requirements

10.Transportation Director
a. Handles guests, speakers and participants' transportation
b. Provides shutter vehicle if convention is held at more than one venue
c. Requests for guests, speakers, participants’ flight itineraries

11.Workshop Director
a. Proposes topics to talk on
b. Looks for appropriate speakers
c. Prepares Role players and programme for each workshop
d. Prepares workshop notes, materials and stationery
e. Venue set up

12.Fellowship Dinner Organising Chairperson

a. Over all organization of the event
b. Decides on a theme
c. Drafts programme for the night
d. Gets participants for Area Performance
e. Works with Public Relations Director to market the programme
f. Identifies Master of Ceremony and other role players

13.Master of Ceremony
Master of Ceremony is the soul of any event. Whether or not all planning and
preparation will be successful or not depends on the delivery of the Master of Ceremony
a. Workshop
b. Fellowship Dinner
c. Speech Contests

14.Speech Contest Organising Chair

a. Looks for
i. Contest Chairs
ii. Chief Judge(s)
iii. Judges
iv. Contest role players
b. Liaise with Area Governors for Area level winners
c. Contest literatures and materials

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d. Notifies District Contest Organising Chair of the contests winners

e. Liaise with Awards & Prizes Director

15.Awards & Prizes Director

a. Finds out if Division K is giving out Educational & Leadership Awards
b. For all necessary contests and programme
i. awards,
ii. certificates,
iii. trophies,
iv. prizes,
v. corsages
vi. Locate Challenge Trophy
c. Liaises with Division / District for sponsored trophies and certificates

16.PA System Director

a. Arranges for PA Systems to
i. Council Meeting
ii. Workshops
iii. Fellowship Night
iv. Speech Contests
b. Coordinates CD, VCD, Karaoke from participants

17.Hall & Stage Decoration Director

a. Council Meeting
b. Workshops
c. Fellowship Night
d. Speech Contests
e. Backdrops

18.Protocol & seating arrangement

a. Works with Hall & Stage Decoration Director
b. Number of guests & number of tables
c. Seating arrangement for each session
d. Labeling of tables

19.Door Gift Director

a. Convention bags,
b. badges,
c. Name tags
d. Convention literature
e. Souvenir Magazine

20.Council Meeting Coordinator

a. Co-ordinates and get venue ready for meeting

21.Photography Director
a. Records the whole convention
b. Photography and Video shooting
c. Sales of photographs/VCD to participants

22.Advisors
a. Optional
b. Provides advice on organizations matters

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c. Offers solutions and suggestions

Consideration To Host The Division K Convention

Before the Club decides to take up the job to organize the Division Convention, it is wise to
study the following facts and issues:

1. Time Frame
1. Adequate time to plan and deliver
2. To market & promote the convention to have enough participants
3. To find Workshop presenters
4. Adequate for Area Level contests winners to prepare and participate
5. Adequate for Division Level contests winners to prepare and participate for
District level contests

2. Qualification
1. Support & Commitments
1. Organising an event in such a scale needs the undivided support and
commitment from the club
1. A one or few men show will not work
2. Does the club support in full force?
1. Willing to put other club and personal matters aside to
concentrate on the convention for the time frame stipulated?
3. Does the Division and all the Areas support it?
1. In providing all necessary assistance
2. In helping to promote and market the convention
2. Willing and ready Manpower to take up roles and complete the tasks
3. Experience
4. Resources
1. Money,
2. facilities
5. Rapport and relationship
1. Area Governor / Organising Chairperson’s rapport and relationship with
other clubs, Area and Division will help make many things smoother

3. Convention Selling Points

1. Every Convention, like a product, must have its selling points
2. No matter how big the ambition is or how well it is planned, a convention
which does not sell will not be successful
3. What are the attractions of the Convention?
1. Programme
2. Speakers / workshops
3. Speech Contests
4. Keynote Address, if any
5. Fellowship dinner
6. Tourist attractions
4. Is the convention organizer centered or participants centered?
1. Whether the convention is perceived as organizer centered or the
opposite
2. If it is organizer centered, it is not likely to benefit and attract
participants
5. Think in the shoes of a potential participants

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1. The cost: Convention, flights, accommodation, food, other expenses

2. The benefits
3. The convenience: to take leave, public holiday, mode of transportation

4. Budget for the convention expenses

1. As it is not a club function, the Club must not subsidise, meaning not making
a lost for the convention
2. A clear, detail and practical budget must be worked out.
1. Income
1. Collection from Participants
2. Revenue from advertisements and sponsorships
3. Division K Contribution if any
2. Expenses
1. Fellowship Dinner
2. Speech Contests
3. Souvenir Magazine
4. Convention materials, literature
5. General Expenses

5. Registration fee for each participant

1. Full Package
2. Partial Package
3. Early Birds

6. The basics
1. Venue
2. Date, time and duration

7. Club Future
1. Will the club be at stake?
1. Divided views,
2. under pressured organisation,
3. misunderstandings

8. Will it really benefit the club as a whole, how?

By Lee Chye Ewe

Lee Chye Ewe has decades of experience in public and private event organizations. He is an
experienced multi-lingual master of ceremony, speaker and presenter. He has helped in
organizing the Toastmasters Semi-Annual Division K Convention in Tawau (2006), Annual
Division K Convention in Kota Kinabalu (2007) and Semi-Annual Division K Convention in
Sandakan (2008). He was Master of Ceremony for both conventions in Tawau and Sandakan.

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