What are the dates of this year’s conference?
Best Buddies Leadership Conference will be held Thursday, July 16, 2020 and Friday, July 17, 2020.
Voices of Inclusion Kick-Off
Thursday, July 16, 2020
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET (5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PT)
Leadership Conference Training
Friday, July 17, 2020
11:00 am – 6:00 pm ET (8:00 am – 3:00 pm PT)
Speaker WOWcase
Friday, July 17, 2020
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm ET (4:00 pm – 5:00 pm PT)
Who can attend this year’s conference?
Thursday’s Voices of Inclusion kick-off and Friday’s Speaker WOWcase will be broadcast live for the global Best Buddies community via the Best Buddies Leadership Conference website and social media channels.
Friday’s Leadership Conference training sessions are reserved for those who register for conference in advance and who are active Best Buddies chapter leaders and community leaders.
How much does this year’s conference cost?
Best Buddies is excited to offer our virtual conference experience to a limited number of participants* for free.
*Includes additional chapter officers, ambassadors, jobs participants, community leaders, and advisors.
How do you actually attend a virtual event and how much time will I need to commit?
The Thursday and Friday evening events, Voices of Inclusion kick-off and Speaker WOWcase, will be open to all of Best Buddies volunteers, leaders, supporters, and the general community via the BBLC website and social media channels.
The Friday training sessions, including conference keynote, education sessions, and networking groups, are available to only those who register using the conference registration site. In early July registrants will receive information on how to log in to the virtual platform for Friday’s sessions, including video tutorials. We will even be offering practice sessions leading up to BBLC so that you’re ready and confident to participate in our Virtual Conference experience!
Following the live broadcast, all sessions and content recordings will be available on-demand. The schedule of sessions will be available here for you to plan time on your calendar to participate.
How will BBLC transition from in-person to online?
We recognize there is no true replacement of an in-person gathering however, we know conference attendees have an interest in the education and best practice sharing that conference offers. Working with disability community experts, we will offer a variety of learning experiences through a digital community platform. Group chats, in-session Q&A, and video panels are all features of the digital platform.
Is there anything leading up to Thursday’s event that I can join?
We’re glad you asked! Starting Monday, July 13, Best Buddies invites you to participate in BBLC Week! Each day we will be offering a variety of activities, including a film screening, panel discussions, fitness classes and social time, to get you geared up and ready for BBLC.
How do I register for BBLC?
You can register for BBLC right here on the site: REGISTER. Please be sure to register by July 10 so that you have adequate time to select the sessions you wish to attend.
Which role do I select when registering?
This selection helps us identify in what capacity you are attending the conference and how you are planning to lead Best Buddies in the coming year.
Use this guide to help identify your role at BBLC:
- Advisor: attending as an advisor or host site coordinator at any school level (elementary school, middle school, high school, or college)
- Ambassador: attending to participate in public speaking and self-advocacy training
- College, High School or Middle School: attending as a chapter president or officer in your school chapter
- Community Leaders: attending as a board member or committee member for your local Best Buddies office
- Corporate Partner: attending as an employer partner or corporate leader (by invitation)
- Jobs: attending to participate in job development training
If you were selected to present a session during the conference, please follow the instructions provided in your speaker confirmation e-mail to complete your registration.
What if I’m not in Best Buddies, but I’m excited to participate?
We want you to participate (BBLC is our favorite for a reason – the more the merrier!). Please mark your calendar for Thursday’s conference kick-off (Voices of Inclusion at 8:00pm ET) and Friday’s celebration (Speaker WOWcase at 8:00 pm ET). These virtual events will offer all Best Buddies enthusiasts the chance to see our mission in action, hear from incredible performers, and see what our organization is all about!
We will offer additional information sessions about our programs and how to volunteer after the conference has concluded for you to learn more! We do ask that those who register for the July 17 BBLC education sessions are active leaders who are prepared to learn, network, and engage.
Additional questions
Find us at leadershipconference@bestbuddies.org or contact your local Best Buddies office staff with more questions.
How do I log into the virtual event website?
An email was sent to the email address you registered for BBLC with on Monday, July 13. This email will have come to you from eventsupport@hubb.me To initially login to the event URL, you will need to have accessed the link within the email that is unique to your registration, and then create a password. From that point, we recommend you save the site URL as well as your login and password details. This information will be how you login into the site after you initially create a login.
I have already logged in before and now I can’t remember my password – how do I reset it?
On the homepage there is a FORGOT PASSWORD option which will send you an email to reset. Please be sure to use the same email address you originally registered with when requesting the forgot password.
What is the best way to view the virtual site?
We recommend utilizing Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for browsing the virtual site from your computer. Please note that Internet Explorer, while will work for using the site, is not the most productive for some of the unique virtual features we have set up for you to experience. You can also view the site from your mobile phone or tablet.
What time zone is the event in? Is it possible to change the time zone?
All session times are in Eastern Time Zone. There is not a way to change this within the virtual platform, we recommend you change your time zone on your computer to ET so you can be sure to join the sessions when they are scheduled.
The video is unable to play during an Interactive or On Demand session.
First ensure you pressed play as all videos will not automatically start. Interactive Session videos will not surface until the scheduled time for it to start.
Please try to refresh your web browser and log out and log back in. If the video is still not playing, please try another browser such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox as your web browser.
The video is buffering, any suggestions on how to fix this?
This is likely due to your internet bandwidth. We recommend you pause the video for a few minutes to allow it to load and catch up, then press play.
Also try opening a private window (Ctrl, Shift, n) and ensure you don’t have a VPN or any firewalls turned on.
I am unable to see the chat feature, what do I do?
The chat feature is at the bottom of the screen, below the video recording, a user may have to scroll down to access the chat
The video is playing but there is no sound
Ensure your device controls or audio panel are unmuted. If problem persists please reach out to Live Chat which will be available on the site on July 17. You can click on Live Chat at the bottom of the page.
What are the different learning types of available?
Interactive Sessions
The interactive sessions will be open for participation based on your registration track immediately following our Keynote Presentation on Friday. These begin at 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT and will allow you to engage and learn from our outstanding speakers with a more personalized approach. You will have the opportunity to directly ask questions and converse with the presenter using our interactive chat feature. Speakers leading these sessions offer a range of expertise, from disability rights and advocacy, leadership, virtual engagement, and resilience.
To ensure you don’t miss any of these incredible speakers, be sure to review the offerings on the BBLC agenda ahead of conference and design your schedule so you can participate in all of your favorite sessions. Please review the Attendee Guide to learn how to add sessions to your schedule.
Peer to Peer Roundtables
Peer to Peer Roundtables provide each attendee the unique opportunity to do what everyone loves most at a conference – chat with your peers! While we know this conference will be different this year since we won’t be able to be together in person, we hope you are able to join us for meaningful conversation, thoughtful idea-sharing, and brainstorming. These roundtables will be offered following the Interactive Sessions on Friday; they will be offered in 30-minute blocks from 3:30pm ET – 6:00pm ET / 12:30pm PT – 3:30pm PT.
Roundtables will be offered to each track with specifically designed content and specially designated leaders who are experts in the topic. The roundtables will be capped at 25 participants to ensure small and engaging conversation is possible and comfortable for all involved. Be sure to sign up for your favorite roundtable topics early to save your seat. View the full conference agenda to see which topics and speakers will be hosting conversations that are relevant and important to you.
Chat Rooms
Chat Rooms offer a casual space for conference attendees to ask questions and learn best practices. There are chat rooms designated for important topics that are relevant to the success of each role in Best Buddies leadership. The chat rooms will be moderated by volunteer experts and staff who will be available throughout the afternoon to respond to questions, provide ideas, and help resolve challenges. The chat rooms are easy and informal; there is no need to sign up ahead of time, but attendees are encouraged to pop in and chat at their convenience throughout the afternoon. Chat rooms will be open from 3:30pm ET – 6:00pm ET / 12:30pm PT – 3:30pm PT; be sure to check the conference agenda to determine which topics you are most interested in asking questions and engaging leaders in.
How can I connect with speakers?
There are multiple ways to communicate with your friends or speakers. The site offers a few ways highlighted below:
Session Chats: Speakers will be available through a chat window during their scheduled session time for Interactive Sessions. You can use this chat window much like a group text or direct messenger feature on your favorite social platforms. Anyone attending the session along with you can also chat in this feature to ask questions or share their excitement about the session! The speaker will be there to answer any questions you might have.
Peer to Peer Roundtables: Add peer to peer roundtables to your scheduled for the opportunity to connect with leaders about a certain topic and participate in small group interactive discussions via Zoom.
Speaker Directory: Did you miss the session you wanted to attend? That’s ok! The speakers can be reached through various outlets by searching for them in the speaker directory. If a speaker has elected to share their LinkedIn or email address, it will appear in their profile when you locate them in the directory.
How can I connect with other participants at the event?
We know how much fun it is to be with your peers at the in-person experience of BBLC, so we wanted to make sure to incorporate this into the virtual event. We’ve pulled together a few different ways to engage with each other throughout the day that can be accessed within the virtual environment:
- Selfie Station – take a selfie and post it on social media using #BBLC2020
- Attendee Directory – find others peers and connect with them socially
- Chat Rooms – on Friday July 17 from 3:30pm to 6:00pm ET moderated chat rooms will be available to collaborate and connect with others on a specific topic
- Peer to Peer Roundtables – on Friday July 17 from 3:30pm to 6:00pm ET peer to peer roundtables will be available for small group discussions where attendees can connect via Zoom to collaborate and learn
Can I leave feedback for the sessions I attend?
Definitely! You can evaluate a session after it has concluded. To do this, once logged into the event platform, you can fill out a quick form for any session that you added to your schedule within the site. There is an Evaluation tab on the navigation pane that will populate any evaluations that are available to you.
I am showing as a certain registrant type (i.e. High School) and I should be a different one (i.e. College); what should I do?
If you feel you should have access to other sessions that are not visible to you, please reach out for support at bblc@dynamicevents.com or Live Chat on the conference homepage to let them know of the change that needs to be made to your registration.
Will the recorded sessions have closed captioning?
Yes, all recorded sessions will have the ability for the user to choose closed captioning in English, Chinese, Spanish & French.
If I leave the session page where the video is playing and come back later, will it start where I left off?
No. The video will not automatically save your watch time. You will need to start the video again, but if you know where you left off you can advance to that point within the video. After sessions have ended, the video will be available any time to watch again.
How do I use the chat?
The chat will appear below the video recording and anyone who is signed in to that session at the time will be able to chat with one another. The Speaker will be monitoring the chat during the scheduled session time, so please ask questions!
How do I join a Peer to Peer Roundtable?
Please find the Peer to Peer Roundtable you want to join on the session list and click Add to Schedule. Once the meeting is on your schedule, the Virtual Link will appear on the session details page at the scheduled time for you to join the Zoom meeting room. Please note, this will take you to an external link to join the meeting. Peer to Peer Roundtable sessions will be limited capacity and therefore, by adding the meeting to your calendar you are holding your “place” in the meeting. If you are unable to add a Peer to Peer Roundtable session to your schedule it is because the meeting is full.
Why can’t I get in to a Peer to Peer Roundtable?
The Peer to Peer Round Table meetings are meant to be small interactive group discussions and therefore, have a limited capacity. If you are unable to join the meeting because it is full, please engage in our other activities such as the Chat Rooms or watch On Demand Sessions.
Is everything going to be available to watch after BBLC?
Yes! You will have the opportunity to continue to watch all of the sessions post BBLC until August 17! So, take the time to come back and continue to learn! While the sessions and the chat features will not be monitored, you will have the opportunity to view what others asked during the live event on the interactive sessions.
How do I make sure my profile is showing in the Attendee Directory?
Please navigate to My Profile either on the left-hand navigation bar, or by clicking on your name in the top right corner and choosing My Profile. Update your photo, bio and all details about yourself that you would like to share. At the bottom, make sure the box is checked that says “Show my profile in the community” so that people can find you and engage!
How do I use the Virtual Backgrounds on the Peer to Peer Round Table Zoom calls?
Navigate to the virtual background in the left-hand navigation bar and choose an image; then, right click and choose Save Image As and save it to your desktop. Once you are in a Zoom meeting, click on the arrow next to the Video button and choose Virtual Backgrounds. Click on the + symbol and upload the image. Please note, some computers may not support virtual backgrounds.