Many Family History and Local History Societies have developed their own solution for continuing to function through this period of isolation and distancing (COVID-19).

If your Society doesn’t have an interim solution or is looking for an alternative one, this may be a simple option.

This is a method of providing your members with a ‘live’ speaker presentation each month.

You can download this suggestion as a video (MP4 file) and see how it could work for you.

The larger / longer video includes tips for Societies, the smaller / shorter video is a condensed version focussing on how to create a video using PowerPoint.

In summary:

• Organise a speaker and topic.
• Give them access to this video to demonstrate the simple method of producing a video of a PowerPoint presentation with integrated voice recording.
• Give your members (and others) access to the final video to watch and listen to at a time and place that suits them.

There are numerous live / interactive options such as webinars, zoom meetings and other technical solutions.  This method uses PowerPoint – a program with which many of us are familiar.

Watch the video and decide if this may be a solution for your Society.

Beyond COVID-19:

• Does your Society struggle to attract speakers to your meetings?
• Does it cost a lot of money to have speakers travel to your location – a cost perhaps including accommodation?
• Is your location in the country / remote?
• Are you limited to speakers who live in your region?

This video could assist with some of these speaker issues in the future.

IMPORTANT: Speakers spend a lot of time and effort in putting together a presentation for your Society.  Your group should expect to compensate them for these efforts however it may be considerably cheaper than costs of travel and accommodation.  Talk to potential speakers to understand their expectations.

View this video with an open mind and a bit of lateral thinking – it could help your Society through these difficult times and beyond!

If you have further questions about this video and procedure, you can contact me (Susie Zada) via the Contact Form on this site.