Lab of Fun #8: The Boring but Essential One (Consent forms, risk assessments, DBS checks, insurance, evaluation)

This workshop is Part 8 of our 9-part Laboratory of Fun Summer School series for community event makers. You can attend just this session, pick and choose a few, or register for the entire two-month series.

Want to join the full summer school? Click here to choose multiple sessions and 'add to cart' so you only need to register once.

The Boring but Essential One (Consent forms, risk assessments, DBS checks, insurance, evaluation)

We know. No one got into community organising because they love paperwork. But here's the thing... once you've got this stuff sorted, it's sorted. And it's nowhere near as painful as you think.

This session walks you through the practical, legal and safeguarding bits that every event needs, and we'll hand you the toolkits and templates to make it as simple as possible. Think of it as ripping off the plaster... a tiny bit uncomfortable, then done, and you can get back to the good stuff with total peace of mind!



What we'll cover:

- Film and photography consent: what you need and how to handle it on the day
- Risk assessments made simple: what they actually are and how to write one without overthinking it
- DBS checks: who needs one, when and how to get it done
- Insurance and legal basics: what you need to know (and what you probably don't)
- Templates and toolkits you can take away and use straight away
- Evaluation: how to capture what went well and prove your event made a difference
- Time for any questions you might have

Access:
Zoom closed captions are available for every session. Some other sessions also have a BSL interpreter live in the session, which are labelled on the event page. If you're a BSL user and the session you'd like to join isn't covered, or if you have any other access requirements, email hello@funpalaces.co.uk and we'll do what we can to arrange it.

Joining a session:
You never have to speak, be on camera, or share anything you don't want to. Cameras on or off, microphone on or off - it's entirely your call throughout. Taking part by listening and reading along is taking part and it's always enough. We won't put anyone on the spot and when we invite people to contribute, it's always an invitation, never an expectation. We don't record any of the sessions. This is a space to think out loud, ask questions and change your mind - which people find easier when not being recorded.

Who it's for:
Literally anyone planning a community event. This is the session you think you don’t need until you really, really do.

About the Laboratory of Fun

The Laboratory of Fun is a free workshop series from Fun Palaces, open to anyone who wants to bring their community together. Whether you're putting on your first event or building on years of experience, each session is designed to be practical, honest, jargon-free and full of our top tips gathered from Fun Palace Makers across the UK and beyond over the last 12 years. You don't need permission, qualifications, experience, a big budget. You just need to care about your community and the people around you.

Take one session or take them all!

Why 'Laboratory of Fun'? The name is a nod to Joan Littlewood, the radical theatre director who dreamed up the original Fun Palace in the 1960s. She called it a 'laboratory of fun' and a 'university of the streets'... a space where anyone could experiment, learn and create. The building was never built, but the idea never went away. These workshops are our version of that same spirit: a place to experiment, mess about with ideas and figure things out together.

About Fun Palaces

Fun Palaces is a national movement that supports local people to create their own free community events: sharing skills, passions and interests, and celebrating the genius that already exists in every community. As we continue to be concerned by division sown amongst our communities, there has never been a stronger case to bring people together, to find joy and fun and to celebrate the unique skills and talents we each possess. Fun Palaces are about taking some time out for an hour, a day, a weekend to dream something better, collectively, for the places we live in. And to put that dreaming into action.

You can find out more about Fun Palaces at funpalaces.co.uk