Organizing a camp

Organizing a camp is pretty simple: all it takes is one part hard work, three parts perseverance, one venue, a lot of campers, some sponsors to burn money, and a little bit of imagination :-) The challenge comes in managing people. Unconferences tend to have a general turnout ratio of 5:2 (registrants to attendees) which really doesn’t leave much scope for slack. With our experience of organizing OSScamps, we came up with the following guidelines:

• When do we meet? Fix a date and be rigid about it. With as many people as organizers, you’d get as many dates but stick to a single date you have chosen. Everything else will fall into place around this date.
• Do we have a place to meet? A venue is the quintessential element to a camp. Yes we all love the rain, till the time it’s not pouring on us.
• Who are 'we'? People can’t come to a camp if they don’t know its taking place. So, unless you plan a camp for you and Slinky alone, it’s always a good idea to spread the word about the camp.
• We need sponsors! We need Camp, Camp needs People, People need Food, Food needs Money, and Money needs Sponsors. Thus, We need Sponsors. And, the Sponsor needs Us! It’s a vicious circle.
• Share the Burden! It is common knowledge that we are all-capable and all-mighty. But that doesn’t mean we have to do everything alone! The more you involve people, the more involved they’ll be. Don’t be shy!
• Document Everything! Open Source is all about removing barriers and involving people. By documenting everything and making it public, we create transparency. Higher the transparency, the more willing people would be to contribute to the event.
• Shake Yer Tail Feathers! After all the hard work, having a blast at the camp is very important! Yaay!