A typical format for a successful Leadership Convention is a formal dinner, starting at 18h30 and ending no later that 23h00. Attendance is by invitation only, which also increases the stature surrounding the whole concept of the Local Partnership.

The choice of venue will obviously be determined by the nature of your function, its ability to accommodate all your invited guests comfortably - including parking - and whatever catering arrangements the Steering Committee decides upon. Normally these functions are held in the town hall and involve anywhere between 100 and 300 local leaders.

With the aim of the event being for the community to formally adopt and launch the Steering Committee's proposed Local Partnership, it is absolutely vital that all the lobbying and selling must have been cut and dried beforehand. The event should be a positive rubber stamping of the Local Partnership initiative, not a forum for indecision and argument. To be successful all key stakeholders must be fully committed before you send out the invitations and announce this event.

Including as it does a business session, the evening will need the services of an "Acting Chairperson", a qualified Secretary to take minutes and an agenda, which will look something like this:

(1) Opening and welcome

(2) Introduction a Steering Committee Member outlines the purpose of the gathering.

(3) A glimpse into the future brief scenarios on what is envisaged by leading representatives of
(3.1) Local Government;
(3.2) Community Organisations;
(3.3) local Business.

(4) Legal implications a presentation by a local lawyer, well versed in section 21 Company registrations, in relation to the proposed Local Partnership initiative andthe tabling of the draft registration document as the Constitution for the Local Partnership for formal adoption by the meeting.

(5) Voting on a name for the Local Partnership with the top three for submission to the Registrar of Companies.

(6) Election of representatives to the Local Partnership's Board of Directors this is comprised of 12 people, with 4 representatives coming from each of the following groups: Local Government (mayor, town clerk and two councillors); Local Business and Community Organisations. Note that political parties are already represented through those Directors elected from the Local Government, so no further political representation is required on the Board.

(7) (optional) Presentation on the "Youth Enterprise Society" (YES) Programme for endorsement by the meeting as one of the new Local Partnership's first projects. Note that EWET will supply all the necessary support material for this presentation.

(8) Announcement of results of the election for Board Directors and the scheduling of the first Board Meeting

(9) Closure "thank you for commitment and attending and positive few words" by one of the new Board Members, then a closing prayer and the National Anthem.