The presentation of posters at (parent and professional) meetings is an
important tool to introduce your organisation and to share with other parents
and professionals, in a very visible way, your initiatives, information and
experiences. Here are some guidelines and tips for the presenting author.
I. The first step is to think about the subject of your poster. You can
choose among the following or find a new one:
-
parents experiences in psychosocial support programs
-
information hotline (within the community, parents, children ....)
-
sibling programs
-
survivors groups
-
bereavement groups
-
lobby function of parents initiatives
-
running a parents house
-
summer camps
-
tips for working with medical staffs
-
difficulties organising parent groups in developing countries
-
anything that makes your group special
2. For some meetings abstracts are required. Write a summary illustrating
the subject of your future poster bearing in mind that you should give the
essential information in a clear and well-organised way. Type or print your
summary within the layout of the abstract form. Fill in the name, full address
and fax number of the presenting author, e.g. the person who will attend the
Congress and stand by the poster during the poster session, and other required
data.
When you receive confirmation that your abstract has been accepted, you
will also receive a poster number, instructions for the preparation of the
poster and information concerning place, dates and time of display and poster
session.
3. Some additional suggestions:
-
prepare the poster on small format cards approximately 30x40 cm;
-
nine cards, plus an additional strip with title (letters 5 cm high),
authors and address, (letters 2 cm high) usually fit the poster board;
-
the layout has to have a visual effect;
-
every card should have borders of a contrasting colour;
-
the text has to be clear and concise: avoid too many words or complicated sentences: the aim of the
poster is to “spread a
message”;
-
condense in every card a step of your experience and leave the last card
or the last rows for the conclusion;
-
on the whole your poster has to be attractive and
has to stimulate the interest of viewers;
-
you can use different colours, pictures,
drawings or any other decoration;
-
write somewhere the name and
address where additional information can be asked;
-
do not forget to place near the title, or in any other place where they
can fit, the LOGO OF YOUR ASSOCIATION and the LOGO OF ICCCPO.
4. Tips for the presenting author:
-
when travelling, take your poster in your hand bag
-
take with you scissors, cellotape, and stickers.
At this point, if you have survived all this huge bulk of information,
you are ready to give your contribution! Welcome
to the world of parents poster communication!
Notes by: Pia Bonini (Italy)