Program Planners & Liaisons - Description - Northern Center for Lifelong Learning

Liaisons and Programmers: Job Description, Guidelines, and Duties

Liaisons are NCLL Members, coordinators, program hosts, trouble shooters, and official NCLL representatives.

A Liaison’s duties include the following:

• Arrive early to the scheduled class with a stocked Liaison Folder.
• Introduce yourself to the presenter and sort out any issues.
• Check people in from a roster that has been emailed to you by the office. Determine if the participant is a member or non-member, has pre-paid or not, and collect any monies owed to NCLL. Be sure to include name and amount paid. If appropriate, hand out the class evaluation form when people check in OR place the form and a pencil on each chair. Answer any questions or assist participants with whatever they need.
• Start out the class by introducing yourself to participants and giving a brief snapshot of upcoming classes. Ask participants to turn off their cellphones. Introduce the presenter.
• After the presentation, publicly thank the presenter, remind people to fill out the evaluation form and collect the pencils.
• Assist the presenter with any after class tasks if needed.

In the week following the class:

• Fill out a Program Summary Sheet. These are found on the NCLL website and can be downloaded. Attach the Class Summary Form and the roster that was sent to you.
• Be sure to write a thank you note and include (2) complimentary class passes to the presenter
• Return the Class Summary Form and monies collected to the office.

Liaisons are encouraged to attend the NCLL monthly meeting in Cohodas Room 404-A every second Wednesday from 10am – 12pm to keep abreast of new developments and to remain informed. Please consider volunteering to become a liaison especially if you attend a lot of the classes anyway! It takes minutes to learn and is a wonderful way to give back to NCLL.

Thank you to all past and present liaisons. It is with enormous gratitude that we accept the gift of your time and effort to support and continue the mission of NCLL.

Programmers are NCLL members who generate ideas of potential interest and execute those ideas into classes.

A Programmer’s duties include the following:

• Attend NCLL monthly meetings every second Wednesday from 10am – 12pm, Cohodas Room 404-A.
• Once an idea has been discussed and approved by general consensus, find a qualified presenter, coordinate with the presenter possible dates and times and establish what equipment or materials the presenter might require. As soon as the date and time has been established, enter this information on the NCLL Program Calendar so other programmers know which dates and times are unavailable.
• Book a venue suitable to the subject.
• Discuss with the presenter the title of the class, an alternative date if applicable, and any class limits.
• Determine if there is extra cost needed for the class beyond the usual NCLL fees.
• Ask the presenter to write a class description or get the presenter’s approval of a class description written by the programmer.
• Once all details have been set, fill out a Program Data Sheet. Be sure to include the presenter’s mailing address so class liaisons know where to send a thank you note.
• Send by email or physically drop off the Program Data Sheet to the office.
• Please be mindful of, and abide by, the deadline date established for each term for submitting finished Data Sheets. 

Frequently, a programmer is also the liaison for the class because they have been communicating with the presenter and know the details of a class intimately, but this is not a rule. Programmers can always ‘hand off’ a class to a liaison in the event of a scheduling problem or other unforeseen event. 

Are you curious, want to try new things, and love to explore? Consider becoming a program planner. NCLL needs energetic and creative volunteers to take ideas and make them a reality. Every idea is considered. Everyone is welcome. Please come to NCLL’s monthly meeting, every second Wednesday, 10am-12pm, 404-A Cohodas.

Thank you to all past and present programmers. What you do is at the heart of NCLL and this organization wouldn’t exist without your astoundingly generous time and effort. We are grateful for the gift of learning.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead