Stretch your network funding further

Networks across the country have suggested the following ideas to help reduce network meeting costs.

Catering

• Platters from Coles, Woolworths, Subway and Aldi are often a cost-effective way to provide a light snack for before,after or during the meeting.
• Sushi platters also provide an excellent option and have the added benefit of potentially being appropriate for people with special dietary requirements.
• Pizza is also readily available and can be an option that is easy to share.
• If the meeting is held in a venue that provides food, consider asking network members to buy their own refreshments - that will help free up the network budget to pay for speakers. 
• Consider limiting catering to tea,coffee and biscuits. Networks have found this particularly effective if the meeting is held during the day or straight after work.
• Buying items like fruit, cheese, olives and crackers from the supermarket and making your own platter can provide a good alternative. Asking a couple of network members to volunteer to come 15 minutes early to help "plate up" can also share the associated work. Networks who have tried this have found network members are very willing to help.
• Paying "per head" for catering can be expensive and result in wastage as often the number who attend the meeting is lower than expected.

Venue hire

While every local area is different, the following are often willing to provide venues for free or a nominal fee, particularly when they learn that your network meeting is being conducted to help improve the mental health of the local community:

• RSLs
• Community Centres / Neighbourhood Houses
• Libraries
• Church halls
• Schools
• Council offices

Another option is to ask if the workplaces of any network members are able to host meetings for free.

A Melbourne network that had been meeting regularly at a local pub were inititally disappointed, when upon re-opening following renovations, the cost of room hire increased considerably. However, a quick call to manager explaining the group's purpose saw the fee waived and the group return to their favourite venue. MHPN has not-for-profit status and can provide you with a not-for-profit certificate that you can provide to potential venues when requesting a room at a discounted rate.

Sharing costs

• Some networks have been able to source additional resourcing from other mental health organisations - particularly in the form of free venue hire and catering. Other organisations that use network meetings as a source of professional development may be willing to cover some network meeting costs to continue to receive the free professional development.
• Asking members to pay a co-contribution towards meeting expenses has proven successful for a number of networks. Not only does it help with expenses, it also helps build commitment to attend future meetings.

 Other ideas

• Change the meeting time to straight after work or if possible during work hours, so less catering is required.
• Rather than paying a guest speaker a fee, consider providing them with a $20 gift card, bunch of flowers,wine or chocolates.
• MHPN's webinars provide an excellent free source of meeting content. Your group could watch and discuss the whole webinar or a single section. Learn more about how to use MHPN webinars as meeting content.
• Network members can present to groups about their service or specialty.  
• MHPN has a series of case studies that can be discussed during the session.

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