How to Host a Jane's Walk

Jane's Walk: Planning Your Route:
 

Once you’ve selected your topic and neighbourhood, the next step is to plan your route. 
 

Jane's Walks are one hour in length (total) and the routes must loop to where they started.
 

1 km takes about 15 minutes to walk, so ensure that your route is short enough to give you time to stop and talk. For example, if your route is 1.5 km, you will have 40 minutes to talk, divided by the amount of stops you want to take along the route. The average pace of walkers is slower.

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Jane’s Walks begin and end in the same place. 
 

For your starting/ending point, pick a spot close to accessible parking. If it’s a private lot, ensure that you have permission for 25 cars to park there. 

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Think about starting/ending your walk at a place where participants can gather afterwards (like a cafe or a park) to connect. You never know what kinds of new ideas, initiatives, and relationships will emerge on a Jane’s Walk! 

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Selecting a safe route:

It’s important to select a location that is safely walkable. If you’re in an urban area, ensure that there are sidewalks along the route so people won’t be walking through traffic. When crossing streets, find a safe crossing like a traffic light or stop sign. City walks can be quite loud, so think about side streets and areas along the route for a more quiet experience.

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Accessibility:

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Think broadly and empathetically about how people with different mobility needs (e.g., using wheelchairs, strollers, or walking slowly) might experience your route.
 

Include stops with benches or seating if possible, and be mindful of terrain, curbs, stairs, gates, and other barriers. Consider factors like dim lighting, underpasses, odors, noise, traffic, or crowds.

 

All walks will feature accessibility notes, so specify if your route suits all mobility levels or is more

challenging (e.g., hills, unpaved paths).

 

If accessibility is a concern, consider hosting a Jane’s Talk instead.

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Walk Your Walk:

Look, listen, smell, feel, and observe. Think about how your topic can come alive along the walking route. As you are walking, take photos of interesting stops and take a photo/note to help you remember as you continue planning your walk.
 

Bring a friend along and walk your route in advance. See if they notice anything you haven't and take note of the questions they ask. Is your presentation clear and does it flow well? Is there a good mix of walking and talking?

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Research Your Walk:
 

There are many ways to research! Windsor Public Library, Essex County Library, and Leddy Library all have rich local resources. Speak to those who live in the neighbourhood and ask them for their stories. We can help connect you with resources as well.
 

Think About Your Audience:
 

Don’t overestimate the knowledge of your audience, but don’t underestimate their intelligence. Create a walk or talk that is open and welcoming to folks with all experience levels in your topic.
 

Consider how you will speak. Avoid jargon and brainstorm ways of speaking and asking questions that will engage a wide range of participants.

 

Think about the subject matter and who will most enjoy it. Is it appropriate for all ages? Will kids understand the topic? Is the subject matter very serious and more suited for an adult audience? 

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Through the description on the website of your walk or talk, we can give attendees a good idea of what they can expect and they can plan accordingly.

 

Tell The Story:
 

On your walk, what story are you telling? Think about each stop along the way as a chapter in a book. Pick stops that help you visually tell the story. 

What do you want your audience to take away from your walk? Do you have a ‘call to action’? How do you want them to think about your topic/neighbourhood in a different way? 

Think About Ways To Make It Special:

There are ways to bring a walk to life. Some walks incorporate quiz questions (with small prizes), guest appearances, costumes, and more. Feel free to think outside of the box and have fun. These aren’t requirements, but they are small ways to make the walk more unique.

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Follow Up with Attendees:

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Our walks are registered events, so we will have the contact information for the attendees. We can share added contact information, program/project links, and other resources. You can also hand out this information during the presentation. 

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Once your walk is confirmed: promote your walk and the festival!
 

Invite your friends, family, and community. We will help promote all the walks in your city, but you should help get the word out, too.

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Tips for the Day

 

Be prepared.
 

Make sure you have good walking shoes, drinking water, and anything else you might need. Jane’s Walks happen rain or shine except in cases of serious weather, so check the forecast and prepare accordingly.
 

For Jane’s Talks, send any audio/visual components in advance. Arrive early, so the schedule stays on track.

 

Don’t do all the talking.
 

Resist the temptation to talk the whole time. Ask people for their own stories and perspectives. Sometimes it can take a little while for a crowd to warm up, so think about ways to help break the ice. Hold the silence after you ask a question for a good long while. Without fail, somebody will speak up to fill the silence!

 

Let it go!
 

Anything goes on a Jane’s Walk. Expect things to go a little sideways. Last minute changes, emerging contingencies, and serendipities are all common. Embrace spontaneity. Perhaps the weather isn’t great. It’s ok! You’ll have a very different but equally fascinating experience of walking the city in the rain as in the sunshine. Perhaps the conversation goes in a different direction than you planned. It’s ok! See where the discussion takes you and, if necessary, gently reroute it.

 

Advice from previous Jane’s Walk Hosts:

 

• “Structure is crucial. Each stopping point should serve like a chapter in a book. It helps, when talking about history, to create a linear narrative. This keeps people interested. With each step, they move forward in time.”
   

• “It’s ok to not know the answers to all the questions”
   

• “Speak loudly, move often”
   

• “Be prepared, do your homework, manage the time, get help”
   

• “Put  points in cue cards.”
   

• “So much information to share that we had to pull out the most important pieces.”
   

• “Be off book because sometimes things don't go in the order you think they will”
   

• “Folks love free things. I think that having a quiz portion with a give away was a fun way to engage with folks.”
   

• “Linger longer at our stops along the tour to share more info and allow people to savor the space.”
   

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City Organizer Contact:

Sarah Morris
Info@WindsorJanesWalk.ca
Sign up to host a walk: https://forms.gle/ungpWb9aHof43CQe7

More information: Facebook.com/JanesWalkYQG