University College Chichester, West Sussex, UK, 9th -12th July 2000
Conference report
1. Overview of conference structure. Sunday July 9 – Wednesday July 12 including:
- Sherry reception and conference dinner on Sunday evening.
- Jazz band and barbeque on Tuesday evening.
- 4 international keynote speakers.
- 38 collegiate papers.
- 9 workshops.
- 8 round table discussions exhibition hall for displays, resources and publishers.
- Helpdesk staffed by college students throughout duration of conference.
2. Pre-conference planning and publicity:
Aims:
- To encourage international discussion in the arena of children’s spirituality.
- To bring together professionals from different backgrounds and interests to debate the issues in this area.
- To provide an opportunity for delegates to experience a range of presentations, styles and formats across a variety of specific topics.
Planning:
- Regular meetings for planning and arrangements for the conference took place over a period of 18 months.
Website:
- The development of a website proved an invaluable tool for promoting the conference as well as providing easy access for information, booking places, submitting general inquiries.
- The site was regularly updated with information as arrangements were confirmed, e.g. collegiate papers, timetable for conference, copies of mailings.
Publicity:
- Website
- Brochures
- Advertising in The International Journal of Children’s Spirituality and other related publications produced by Taylor & Francis.
- General mailshot;
- Flyer swaps with other conferences, mailings and events (e.g. Soul Education Conference, Roehampton’s Education, Spirituality and the Whole Child Conference)
3: Delegation
Number of bookings: 132.
Delegate breakdown:
– By country
- Australia 9
- Belgium 1
- Canada 4
- China 1
- Finland 1
- Germany 1
- Ireland 3
- Israel 1
- Malta 1
- New Zealand 1
- Norway 1
- The Netherlands 1
- UK 86
- USA 16
– By profession
- Higher Education UK 20
- Higher Education outside UK 18
- Religious / Church bodies & Diocesan Advisers UK 38
- Religious/ Church bodies & Advisers outside UK 23
- Research 13
- Schools (e.g. teachers, heads, heads of dept.) 4
- Other 1
4: General feedback:
- Evaluation forms were included in conference packs and 80 completed or partially completed forms were returned (see below for analysis of evaluation forms).
- Other feedback in the form of personal emails and cards were received from 25 delegates.
5: Outcomes
- Edited volume of selected proceedings from the conference.
- Papers published in the International Journal of Children’s Spirituality.
- Association.
- Further conference at University of Haifa, Israel, 2001.
- Further conferences every two years in UK.