Be prepared

This group is yours to run, so we at MS Society can only offer tips and advice. This page should help you approach difficult conversations. As well as think about some things that might go wrong and how to avoid them.

Difficult conversations

Most of the time, your group should run smoothly. But there might be times when difficult situations crop up that need to be dealt with. This could be unacceptable behavior or comments. ​

It's best to deal with situations like this informally and as soon as possible. ​​

Sometimes speaking privately to the person behaving inappropriately will be enough. Check in to find out if they're aware their actions are causing upset. In many cases people aren't aware and often act to change that behavior straight away. ​​

If you can't resolve the situation and the inappropriate behavior continues, you might have to ask the person to leave your group. ​​

You can always join our dedicated forum to ask for guidance and support on dealing with difficult situations.

Ways to manage risks

Face-to-face

Health and safety and risk management isn't the most exciting topic – but it's important! Here are some things you might want to think about.​

Make sure your meeting place is accessible

Use our Access all areas tips to find out what to check.

Let other people pick up the work

Using a managed meeting place like a coffee shop can save you a lot of hassle and responsibility. It means on-site staff are responsible for setting up, clearing up and knowing where everything is so you don't have to! Some meeting places have staff trained as first aiders. It's worth asking ahead to find out if yours does.

Other examples of managed meeting places include community centres, pubs and hotel lobbies.

Find out what to do if there's a fire

When you arrive at the meeting place:

• check out where the fire exits are
• ask what the evacuation process is
• ask if there are any fire alarm tests planned. ​

If someone gets sick at your event

If anyone has an accident or is ill, find the first aiders at your meeting place. Or call the emergency services. 

It helps to find out where your nearest hospital is ahead of time just in case.

Online

Build in breaks

To reduce anxiety in online calls, it helps to build in breaks every so often. ​Some group members might otherwise sit in uncomfortable silence as they don't feel comfortable sharing their needs.

Making sure there's regular breaks scheduled into your meeting helps them manage their expectations. It also helps if, at the beginning of your meeting, you say something like: If you need to get a drink or use the loo to feel free to go and do it whenever you want to.

Security in online meetings

In the early days of Zoom there were lots of stories of people accessing private Zoom rooms to cause problems. That's more uncommon now as Zoom's security is better.

However if you're using a platform like Zoom, it's still safer to set a passcode for your session. And only share the link and passcode with the people you know are coming. 

Set some ground rules

Sometimes meetings can be dominated by the same voices. If you're running an online session, think about setting ground rules at the beginning. For example: respecting the views of others and giving everyone the opportunity to speak if they want to. 

What's next?

We hope these questions have helped you think about risks and how to avoid them. Go back to the start page to explore next steps.