Low Bandwidth Strategies

When facilitating groups with low or mixed-bandwidth, including marginalized, rural, or international communities, how do we maximize engagement? This training offers strategies and experiential tools for facilitating equitable online trainings and meetings – even when participants have low connectivity or no access to a computer.

Length: 2 hours

WORKSHOP FEE

We offer the following sliding scale fee options:

$35
$95
$150
$200
$250
$0, full scholarship

Our sliding scale honors different abilities to pay and helps us compensate trainers, coordinators, and accessibility providers fairly. The true cost to attend this workshop is $150. We ask organizations and individuals with large budgets to pay at the higher rates to keep the workshop accessible to all. We acknowledge the different costs and considerations around your attendance, including childcare/caregiving, time away from paid work, and more, and we offer lower fee options to support your attendance. You'll need to pay by credit card when registering online. If you prefer to pay without a credit card, please contact us before registering.

BY THE END OF THE TRAINING, YOU WILL…

• Have techniques and approaches to create equitable online spaces, where low connectivity might place participants at a disadvantage. 
• Have tools to facilitate effective and engaging trainings and meetings, including with participants who have low connectivity or cannot connect from a computer, that you can apply immediately regardless of the software you use.
• Be more prepared to design trainings and meetings, where some participants have low connectivity or cannot join from a computer, including asynchronous tools to improve accessibility.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP?

Anyone training and facilitating online who wants to increase their effectiveness using interactive and experiential tools, regardless of connectivity level. This is an introductory training. We welcome a range of experiences – from beginner online facilitators to long-time trainers. Some face-to-face facilitation experience is helpful for this training.

WORKSHOP FORMAT

This is an interactive online training using the Zoom meetings platform and WhatsApp, designed for participants with varied levels of connectivity. Connect in whatever way works best for you. You can dial in by phone or connect from a mobile device or computer. We will practice ways for you to participate, no matter how you connect. If possible, find a quiet place and use headphones. Come prepared to participate fully, just as you would an in-person training.

Details for how to connect will be sent prior to the training. The training will include follow-up resources you can use after. We’ll cover tech strategies that apply across software options, but for training on specific software, individual coaching is recommended.

ACCESSIBILITY

This training will take place online in the Zoom meetings platform. Our trainings offer multiple ways to engage in activities and we do our best to apply best practices in visual accessibility on our slides and handouts including using high contrast and alt text. Closed captioning, sign language interpretation, and advanced copies of the slides are offered if requests are received up to 1 week before the training. 

If there is anything else that would make this training more accessible to you, please email us directly or make a note in your registration form.

POST-WORKSHOP COACHING

Attendees are eligible for post-workshop coaching sessions. We’ve found that follow-up coaching maximizes lessons learned, so we’ve dedicated capacity to support integration of new skills and tools back home.

We offer hourly individual and small group coaching around your specific needs. For example, you could use sessions for support choosing online platforms, evaluating online trainings, designing hybrid programs, preparing for an upcoming online meeting, learning Zoom features, etc. Attendees can request coaching, here, after the workshop.