We invite Parlour Collective practices to host an informal writing workshop in their studio(s). It is easy and fun! It is a great way to bring people together and support them to add their profile to Marion’s List. In doing so you also support Parlour and increase the visibility of women and non-binary people in the built environment professions.
How do we get started?
Read the overview of what is involved, register your interest, and start organising your workshop – click on the tabs to access detailed information and download the support material and collateral.
What & when? A one- or two-hour workshop in March 2023. Choose a time and date that suits – this could be lunchtime or after work for an open session, or an afternoon for an internal workshop.
Who? Invite your people and your networks. The workshop can be internal or open to all. We encourage you to include your consultants and wider professional networks if possible.
How? Kick off the event with one of our video clips about Marion’s List and a short discussion on how to write a good bio. The bulk of the event is a friendly, informal session of writing, sharing notes and encouragement – all with refreshments. After the session, share the outcomes with us and on your social media.
What do hosts need to provide?
A pleasant space for people to get together and write / edit / upload their Marion’s List profile
Simple but delicious catering to help people feel welcome and comfortable
Seating / tables for people to work at, and power points / power boards for those who need to charge their devices
Optional screen to show short video
Optional photographer on hand – great support for those people who don’t have a good profile shot already
Optional editorial support – for those who aren’t sure how to get started. Larger practices can support this through their marketing / comms people.
Use our template as a guide. We encourage you to invite your networks and help expand our reach and the range of people and built environment professions represented on Marion’s.
Organise simple refreshments
This helps people feel welcome and comfortable. It need not be fancy, just yummy!
Arrange editorial support (optional)
It it is helpful to have someone on hand who can offer writing advice. If you have marketing and communication people, they will most likely be an excellent help! If not, we have simple resources to share.
Arrange a photographer (optional)
Having a photographer on hand is great support for those people who don’t have a good profile shot already.
Send out a reminder / calendar invite to attendees
Use our template as a guide – include when, where and info about what people should bring.
On the day
Everything you need to make it work wonderfully on the day.
Set up the venue
Ensure you have enough power outlets so people can charge their computers
Ensure you have enough seating
Finalise catering
Test videos and sound (if showing these on a venue screen)
Acknowledge the Country you are meeting on and welcome people to the session
Kick off with the Marion’s List video clips and advice about how to write a great profile
Get people writing and uploading their profiles! Suggest that they do this in pairs or groups so people can encourage each other and provide feedback. Use the question prompts in the writing tips PDF.
Document the process
Take some snaps of everyone in action (with their permission).
Keep a running tally of the profiles added and updated.
Celebrate a job well done!
After the session
Report back
Tell us how you went. Share pictures of the session with us and tell us how many new profiles were added.
Tell the world!
Share your results via social media. How many new profiles were added? Who is now on Marion’s List?
We have lots of goodies to download as part of your Marion’s List Writing Workshop!
Video & audio
Shing Hei Ho has made a lovely video to help encourage people to add their profiles – watch and download it at the top of this post, or head to Vimeo.
We have also recorded three short videos (also edited by Shing Hei Ho)
If you would like to share more about the origins of Marion’s List and why we need it, there are great talks by Amy Mullins and Karen Burns from the launch of Marion’s List at the MPavilion in 2015 below. Karen’s speech is also here.
We are delighted that practices and organisations are getting on board to host Marion’s List writing workshops. We have written draft invitations for both public and internal workshops. Adapt these to suit the tone, tenor and scale of your practice, or simply fill in the gaps and use as is. Use the banners below. There are lots to choose from!
A selection of lovely material that you can use to help promote the campaign and encourage others in your network to add themselves to Marion’s List. See just some of the options below. Access the set here.
Workshop invitation collateral
In addition to general collateral, we have a set of banners for hosting Marion’s List Writing Workshops. See a selection below and access the range via dropbox.
I’ve joined! collateral
Once people have have added their profile, encourage them to tell the world! Share this square for use on instagram, with a pic of the person on the slider. (More coming soon, including an instagram story version.) Access via dropbox.
A short video about how to write an engaging video, with Nikita Morell, Justine Clark and Sarah Mair.
Do you have further questions?
Check out the FAQs below. If you still have questions, flick us an email.
Who can join Marion’s List?
Marion’s List is a public register for women and gender-diverse people active in Australian built environment disciplines. This can include many and varied roles.
People of all ages and career stages are welcome, including those currently overseas with a lasting connection to Australia.
Are Marion’s List writing workshops only for women?
No. Everyone is welcome. Men are very welcome to come along to the workshops to help out with the bio writing, provide support and catch up with the Parlour and practice communities. However, only women and gender-diverse people are eligible to upload their profiles to Marion‘s List.
We’re SUPER busy in March. Can we run an event some other time?
Yes! Marion’s List is an ongoing project. We’d be delighted for you to run a workshop when it suits.
Can we open our session up to the whole Parlour community? We have some really experienced copywriters, and people who have navigated fascinating careers. We think their perspective would be valuable for people beyond our practice.
Yes! Please do! Simply choose ‘public event’ when you fill in the EOI and we will help promote the session to the full Parlour community.
We love this idea but have never hosted an event before. Are you able to help us a little?
Yes! First, check out the support material. If you need more advice, send us an email. We can also jump on the phone, share our event knowledge and discuss what could would work best for you.
Do we have to provide food and alcohol?
We are great believers in offering simple, delicious snacks and drinks as a way to make people feel welcome at events. There is no need to provide alcohol – and there should always be good non-alcoholic options. It could just be tea, coffee and juice if that is right for the selected time and format.
When is it best to run a workshop?
There are lots of possibilities, and different times suit different demographics. (No time suits everyone, as we have learned over the years!) If you are keen on a public session, evenings or weekends are probably best. If you are running an internal event, you could get everyone together for an office-hours workshop, or host a lunchtime session.
We’re a small practice – can we run a low-key lunchtime session?
Yes! That sounds great.
Can it be on the weekend?
Yes! Just make sure that you think your audience will be up for coming along.
What if there is really low turnout?
These sessions can be very effective if they are small and friendly. But… we do encourage you to invite your networks, send reminders etc. Get in touch before your session if you are getting concerned.
Do you have suggestions for keeping track of RSVPs?
Here at Parlour we use Trybooking – it is easy and free. There are lots of other good systems. You can also just ask people to RSVP by email – make sure you have an ace organiser to keep track though!
Can participants just rock up on the day, or is there a little work they need to do beforehand?
It would be great if people come slightly prepared – they could bring along a draft bio and a photo, and have taken a look at the bios of other people (refer to our template invitations and reminders). That said, rocking up and working it out on the fly is totally fine too!
Do practices need to be a part of the Parlour Collective to host?
Well … of course we think every practice should join the Parlour Collective! (And you can choose whatever level suits your budget.) If it‘s still not right for your practice, you are welcome to run an internal event. Practices wishing to run public events associated with Parlour should be part of the Collective.
Do individuals need to be a part of the Parlour Collective to participate?
Marion’s List is open to all, but of course we would love you to join the Parlour Collective! There are lots of benefits, and you will be in excellent company.
I’m interested in attending an open workshop. Where can I find available sessions?
Excellent. We will have a list of open sessions up shortly. Keep an eye on our website.
