How can you give effective presentations as a volunteer?

1 Know your purpose and audience

Before you start creating your presentation, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and who you are speaking to. What is the main message you want to convey? What do you want your audience to do, think, or feel after your presentation? How much do they know about your topic and what are their interests, needs, or concerns? Knowing your purpose and audience will help you tailor your content, tone, and style to suit them.

2 Structure your presentation

A well-structured presentation has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should grab the attention of your audience, introduce your topic and main points, and establish your credibility. The body should develop your main points with evidence, examples, or stories, and use transitions to connect them. The conclusion should summarize your main points, restate your message, and end with a call to action or a memorable statement.

6 Adapt to the situation

Finally, you need to be flexible and adaptable to the situation. You may encounter unexpected challenges or opportunities during your presentation, such as technical issues, questions, comments, or interruptions. You need to be prepared to handle them calmly and professionally. You also need to be aware of the time, the mood, and the reactions of your audience, and adjust your presentation accordingly. You may need to skip, add, or modify some parts of your presentation to suit the situation.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?