Setting Up Your Zoom Meeting
As the Squad Mod, your first task is setup Zoom Meetings for your Squad.
Why Zoom? In our pilot programs, we found Zoom to be the best video conferencing platform available. It's easy to connect from almost every corner of the globe
Step 1: If you don’t have one, create a Zoom.us account - it’s simple and free.
Check out our instructional video here.
Step 2: Create a Zoom.us recurring meeting. From the Zoom homepage, click Schedule a Meeting. Make sure it starts on your Squad’s start date and time, give it a 30 minute duration, then set it to repeat for 12 weeks.
Before saving the event, check the box to “enable join before host” - that way, if you can’t be there on time, everyone can start without you.
Check out our instructional video here.
Step 3: Once you create your meeting, copy and paste the meeting details into the Ellevate platform. Open up the Ellevate website in another tab; from the Squads Homepage, click on “Squad Mod Setup Center” on the right sidebar to edit your Squad.
Copy the “Join URL” from the Zoom Meeting page and paste it into the “Zoom URL” field in your Squad Mod Setup Center. Next, copy the full invitation from the Zoom Meeting page (it’s long!) into the “Full Invitation” field in your Squad Mod Setup Center. Don’t forget to save your changes!
Sending Calendar Invites
Step 4: Once you’ve posted your recurring Zoom meeting link and detailed invitation, it’s time to send a calendar invitation to your Squad.
- From the Squad Mod Setup Center, click “Create Calendar Invitation” and select your favorite calendar, such as Outlook, iCal, or Google Calendar.
- Once this invitation to the first meeting opens in your calendar, be sure to check that it's a recurring calendar invitation for 12 weeks, at the right time of day.
- Then, invite the Squad Members listed in the Squad Mod Setup Center by email. Receiving a calendar invitation in their inbox makes sure they’ll each hold that time open for Squad meeting, so this is an important step.
Please respect your Squad’s privacy (and our legal policies) by not using these email addresses for any other purpose.
Check out our instructional video here.
Reviewing Your Squad's Curriculum
Once you’ve posted your recurring Zoom meeting link and sent a calendar invitation, it's time review and finalize your Squad's curriculum. Though any Squad members can edit the curriculum, you have the final say and oversight of each meeting's agenda as the Squad Mod.
- From the Squad Mod Setup Center, scroll down to your Squad's Curriculum and find any weeks marked "Hot Topic Discussion" or "TBD". These are your weeks to fill in with Hot Topics.
- Select Hot Topics that seem interesting and relevant to your Squad (visit Squad Meeting Agendas). Copy and past the topic details (what to listen to in advance and the discussion questions) over form the Hot Topic Guide into the "Add Details/Description" section of the Squad Curriculum. You can also edit that week's Meeting title to the title of the Hot Topic.