What is the Presenter Network?
The Presenter Network is a local, national and international network set up for presenters to share best and worst practice. Presenter Network hubs have now been established as part of the wider Presenter Network. These hubs align with the same Presenter Network Manifesto and ethos, but they operate on a local level only.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich coordinates the network as a whole but also acts as the hub centre for London and the South East. All regular Presenter Network meetings are run by the local hubs, so if you want to attend those, you will need to join a hub. We are establishing more hubs all the time, so keep an eye out for new ones near you.
Read on for more information or sign up now!
Who is it for?
The Presenter Network is solely for those who are actively involved in presenting any sort of educational session in museums, as well as science and discovery centres and in the media. This is not a general education group, we created it so presenters can get together and share best practice, as well as watch others in action to develop their presenting style.
Who started the network and why?
The Presenter Network was set up in 2014 by Liz Avery at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Since then, we have run regular meet-ups in collaboration with other organisations, covering every aspect of presenting you could ever imagine: using comedy effectively, working with challenging audience members, how to look after your voice, and everything in between.
How much does it cost?
Taking part in network events is free. This network is run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, but is not specifically funded. We never offer, nor would we encourage others running events for the network, to provide catering, as it can become expensive and put organisations off hosting. This group operates purely on the goodwill of our members, with all meet-up leaders, speakers and workshop facilitators offering their time and experience for free. We are incredibly grateful to all the members for their enthusiasm, generosity and help keep this network alive.
Who runs the sessions?
The Royal Observatory Greenwich runs the network as a whole, as well as the London and South East hub. You can see the list of hubs in the form at the bottom of this page.
Why do you focus on presenting?
Quite simply because there is a demand for it. There are many fantastic science communication, museum and education networks out there, with a much wider remit than just presenting. We don't compete with them, but rather complement them by dedicating our focus to addressing a very specific aspect of public communication that the sector has identified through this process as needing attention.
How often do they run?
Each of the local hubs plans its sessions to suit its local network, but in general, hubs will meet once every two to three months, always between 3pm and 5pm.
Annual Conference
We also run a conference once a year, which is open to any of our network members.
Where do you meet?
Each local hub meeting is somewhere different, so we can all see how other organisations do things.
What is the structure of a session?
The order of the sessions is always the same: a 1-hour facilitated education session followed by a 1-hour discussion (made up of a short welcome by me and the discussion facilitated by the hosting group).
How do you choose the topics for sessions?
Every topic idea comes from the network. This could be that someone has presented something new and learned things they want to share, or they could be having difficulty with something and looking for advice.
How can I contact people outside of the meetings?
Discussion is an important part of the network, but the hubs are not able to share members' contact details. We have created Padlet walls so members can discuss ideas and opportunities between sessions. The Padlet walls we use are only accessible to those in the network.
How can I get involved?
It is super easy to join as a member - just fill in the sign-up form below.
I would like to create my own hub - how do I get started?
Firstly - great news! Running your own Presenter Network hub is nice and easy, and we can offer you lots of help and advice along the way. We have produced a 'Hub Starter Pack' which outlines everything you need to know. Please fill in the form below to sign up to the Network.
