Hosting Q&A

Who can host a pop-up?

Any traveling family with a desire to meet other worldschoolers qualifies! No prior experience is necessary for Hosts or Designers...we will help with all the set-up and planning. 

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Do I need to know the destination well in order to host a pop-up there?

Not at all. As long as you're interested in visiting the area yourself, that's all that's necessary. Hosts will review the itinerary ahead of time which provides a general feel for the area. However, each Host is different. Some prefer to arrive early and spend a week or two in the area prior to the pop-up, others land one day ahead of time. Both approaches are completely acceptable. You choose what's right for your family and comfort level.

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What if I've never been to a pop-up before? 

No worries, the only prerequisite is that you'd like to invite our worldschooling community to join your family's journey. Honestly, the pop-ups tend to run themselves because when worldschoolers meet each other - there is so much to share and friendships are easily established. Once you have a framework for the week's activities, you're all set!

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Do I need to teach classes and run activities?

No, not at all. The itinerary provides the outline for local activities during the week. This might include visiting an art museum, exploring a historic ruin, lounging at the beach, or having a picnic at the playground. There are no classes to teach or tours to give...in the case of a guided activity, it would be handled by the local community. Examples:

• In St Petersburg, Florida, we took a class on fish dissection at Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center

• In Merida, Mexico, we toured the Uxmal ruins with a local archeologist

Whenever a fee is involved, each family is responsible for their own portion.

 

Who is in charge of arranging accommodations?

Each family will take care of all their own lodging, transport, meals, and entrance fees. When a new itinerary is designed, the Designer must recommend safe and convenient neighborhoods that are central to the itinerary activities. Families then can coordinate within the private Facebook groups to stay near each other for more of a neighborhood feel. Here is more info on what our events do and do not include: Event Details

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I work while I travel. How much time commitment is necessary during the pop-up?

Your time spent directly with the pop-up crew is flexible. The Pop-Up Hub expects Hosts to attend a minimum of one scheduled activity each day including the first meet - & - greet event of the pop-up. Of course Hosts typically attend more than this because they're also looking for community and connections and time to explore. 

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Is there a cap on the number of families that attend the pop-ups?

The correct answer is: It depends! Placing a cap on the event is completely optional. We have had anywhere from 3 - 28 families per event and large numbers can be daunting to any Host. Therefore, it's possible limit the number of ticket sales according to the Host's comfort level.

 

Event caps are one of our first questions when Hosts fill out preliminary paperwork. Additionally, if we do limit the number of tickets, we can always increase that amount later on according to the Host's wishes.

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I'm currently in the desired pop-up location. Can we put together an event in the next few weeks?

Sorry, no. Please consider that the Pop-Up Hub prefers 12+ weeks to advertise your event. In the case you'd like to launch your event sooner rather than later, it is possible to complete all preliminary paperwork, including the contract, within 48-72 hours. So yes, there is a possibility to run a faster timeline on event creation, but generally speaking, please provide a few months notice. This allows a better reach with our advertising and gives families time to mobilize to your destination.

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You keep mentioning the Host, the Designer, and the Itinerary. How do all those parts work together?

There are 3 different roles responsible for each pop-up: the Designer, the Host, and the Worldschool Pop-Up Hub. 

• The Designer creates the itinerary: a week's worth of interesting things to do in the locale. It's important to carefully group the activities to avoid repeatedly crisscrossing the area, as well as line up activities on the correct dates for opening hours, free-day at the museum, etc. Designers typically host the first running of their itinerary... so the Designer and Host often are the same person.

• The Host acts as a friend on the ground who helps coordinate the group, ensures everyone finds the meeting place, and points people in the right direction when they have questions. Hosts also connect with attendees ahead of time by interacting and sharing local information within the private Facebook group for our events.

• The Pop-Up Hub runs all the behind-the-scenes details such as creating the events, private social media groups, group communication platform, advertisements, ticket sales, etc, and helps the Designer and Host with any assistance they need.

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The Worldschool Pop-Up Hub has a contract to explain all the terms, expectations for each role, and payout processes. Hosts and Designers review the contract before any payment is collected.

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What are the costs to host or design a pop-up?

For individual Hosts or Designers, there is a US$250 flat fee for the planning assistance and behind-the-scenes coordination. 

 

In the case of a Co-Host or Co-Designer, each family is responsible for a $150 payment. Like the other attendees, Host families are responsible for their own accommodation, transport, meals, and entrance fees; however, Host and Co-Host families attend the pop-up free of charge.

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Wait... What? A Co-Host?

Sure, why not? This is a mobile community, the more the merrier! You can partner with one of your worldschool buddies and become Co-Hosts and/or Co-Designers... or you can make a post in our Co-Host Hook-Up Forum to find a person or destination compatible with you. 

[Note: this forum is in it's beta-stage, please reach out with questions]

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Do I actually get paid?

​Absolutely! Our philosophy is that the more gatherings we offer, the more our extended community has a chance to meet and interact. Hosts receive 50% of the ticket revenue and Designers receive 10% every time that their itinerary is run. Commissions are evenly split between Co-Hosts or Co-Designers.

 

Please note: As a US-based company we follow US tax laws. Any payouts over US$599/calendar year need to be reported to the US Internal Revenue Service and hosts will need to provide a US social security number (SSN) or employer identification number (EIN) for proper tax filings. If that is not possible, commissions are capped at $599.

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How much work is it to rent a pre-existing itinerary?

We estimate it takes 4--5 hours of time to review the existing itinerary & make appropriate revisions, coordinate efforts with the Worldschool Pop-Up Hub, and interact with prospective guests via social media.

 

How much work is it to design an itinerary in a new destination?

Design and hands-on time take roughly 20--25 hours from our first planning meeting to the finalization of the attendee list. 

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I've never organized an event like this, what sort of planning resources do you offer?

For Hosts who rent an itinerary, there is minimal planning involved. Your itinerary is already sorted as well as most information to share in the social media group (neighborhood recommendations, interesting articles on the destination, etc). We'll help you with ideas for itinerary revisions (for example finding an appropriate substitution if the scheduled local festival only happens in the spring and you're running an event in the autumn).

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For Designers we offer a trio of Google Forms to set ideas into motion. Our forms help  locate information on diverse activities, accommodation options, and transport advice necessary to draw worldschoolers to your event. Designers will work on one form at a time, receiving the subsequent forms after completion. All the forms explain our philosophy as well as keep ideas organized; the second form is the most time-intensive because it requires a majority of the research.

• Form #1: Application to Design a Pop-Up

• Form #2: Minimum Event Details

• Form #3: Itinerary Brainstorm and Design Phase

• Form #4: Itinerary Schedule & Social Media Engagement

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What if we don't sell any tickets? What if I suddenly can't attend? What if...
Our contract covers extenuating circumstances the best we can. In the event of  unforeseeable changes, we'll work with the Hosts and Guests to find an agreeable solution. Also we don't want anyone to lose money on their investment with the Pop-Up Hub and our contract reflects this. It's good to have a contingency plan in place, but please try not to be bogged down by the "what-ifs"... we will figure it out. 

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I still have some questions.... can I contact you?

Yes, we're always here to help. Fill out our Contact Form... or if you prefer to remain anonymous please use this survey: Easing the Worries of a Potential Pop-Up Host