3 tips for running a virtual workshop

How we collaborated online to find solutions for people who can’t access their post

At Citizens Advice we help people find a way forward with our independent advice. And we also work to fix the complex problems that can lead to people needing support.

We found that 7 million people have struggled to access their own post over the last decade. That can mean missing out on hospital appointments, housing offers and employment, or not being able to register for a GP surgery or benefits. And it’s often people who are already facing barriers in other areas of their lives who are most affected, including homeless people and domestic abuse survivors.

That’s why we’ve been calling for a service that gives people who need it an address to use on applications and a safe place to collect letters.

We know that collaboration is vital to design a service that works for everyone. So in May, we ran a 3 hour workshop with stakeholders on Zoom to think about how the service could work.

Here are 3 things we learnt about running an interactive workshop, completely remotely.

1) Make sure the workshop featured a range of perspectives

14 organisations attended the workshop, all with insight into post exclusion. This included Royal Mail and the Post Office, unions, banks and charities. Each brought unique expertise and experience for us to learn from.

The aim of the workshop was to hear feedback on the logistics of running a future service. But it was vital to ground the session in the needs and views of people with lived experience of post exclusion.

We had designed some key criteria for a service, in partnership with people who had struggled to access their post. And we began the workshop by hearing from people who had been shut out from their letters. They spoke in their own words and voices about what they needed from a service, and what it would mean to them.

Next, we divided attendees into breakout groups for a series of practical discussions. We made sure each group included representatives from different sectors. This helped every group consider different perspectives and hear a range of expertise.

2) Create an environment where everyone can take part

We wanted to hear open and honest feedback about how a service could work. For this to happen, it was vital for everyone to feel comfortable and able to share their thoughts.

We used breakout rooms so people could have discussions in smaller, less intimidating groups. Participants were able to share any concerns about each element of the service, before moving on to brainstorm solutions. At each stage, we used virtual post-it notes to keep track of the discussion and make sure everyone’s ideas were taken on board.

It was important to have a framework for the discussion to keep things focused and cover all the topics. But we also wanted an open structure that gave people space to shape the discussion around what was important to them.

We were also aware that a virtual format could create extra barriers for some attendees. So we came up with 3 ways to make it easier for people to engage online:

These actions helped people follow the session and know who they were speaking to, even if they couldn’t use video. And taking time away from the screen helped people stay engaged throughout the day.

3) Prepare in advance to help the session run smoothly

We didn’t want the virtual format to distract from the aim of the session, so we did all we could to avoid any Zoom glitches.

We rehearsed the session on Zoom several times before the day itself to iron out any issues. And we also had a dedicated Zoom facilitator. They moved participants between breakout rooms and could help with technical issues.

This was key in helping the session run well. Participants could focus without worrying about the logistics of the day. And facilitators could give participants all their attention, rather than thinking about tech.

What we learnt

We learnt valuable lessons about running a virtual session that works for everyone. And we had great feedback from attendees who felt they’d been able to share their views openly.

We also learnt from the contributions of the attendees, who raised useful challenges and effective solutions. This included using learning from organisations that have already tackled similar problems, and running a pilot to test how the service could work in practice.

We’ll be using all the insights shared at the workshop as we continue to push for equal access to post, for everyone.