9.3 Registration Processes

Recreation programs and events sometimes require registration (formally enrolling or signing up). Registration processes fall under STEP 9: Marketing and Promotion, as attracting and engaging participants can rely on a quick and easy registration process.

Participant registration is necessary:

• Whenever there are fees or payments associated with a program or event
• When space in a program/event is limited (e.g., it’s not drop-in)
• When the program has a prerequisite or some kind of qualifying criteria (e.g., needing to provide proof of a Beginner Level I flatwater canoe certificate before being eligible for the Intermediate Level II course)
• When the agency wishes to track participant numbers or statistics for their records
• When participant information will impact an Instructor’s program or activity choices or approaches (e.g., dietary restrictions, disabilities)
• When the program’s direct costs for supplies and/or equipment will be based on the number of participants enrolled
• For legal reasons (liability insurance)

Registration processes have become more streamlined and convenient for clients and customers than ever before. Many recreation-based organizations have shifted their registration process from paper to digital formats (online), thus making the registration process painless and quite straightforward. However, other methods of registering for programs, such as in person at a reception desk, over the phone or, more rarely, by mail-in (e.g., Canada Post), do still occur. Depending on the nature of the program, information collected during the registration process may typically include:

• The date (of registration)
• The client’s full name, preferred name, preferred pronouns, mailing address, phone number and email
• Name of the program or event the client is registering for
• The client’s emergency contact name, phone number and relationship to the client
• Amount and method of payment (if applicable)
• Additional registrant information as required: age, gender, t-shirt size, required or desired accommodations (inclusion needs)
• Liability waiver/Assumption of Risk form
• Code of Conduct Agreement
• Photo/media release form

As personal information has become such a precious commodity, programmers should avoid asking for any unnecessary personal information upon registration. Unless a participant’s enjoyment or safety in the program depends on how they answer certain questions, leave those questions out and collect only what you need to know. For example, for the programmer running a 1-night watercolour painting workshop, it would be invasive and inappropriate to ask the participant to disclose their medical history on the registration form. Keep it simple and on a need-to-know basis.