Why Attend – Make the case to your Supervisor

Thank you for deciding to join us at MSSA’s 127th Annual Training Conference & Expo. We know that you will leave the conference full of applicable knowledge, new resources and with refreshed passion to share with your colleagues and clients. We also know that sometimes, it’s not up to you to decide whether you get to attend. Aside from the cost, it is hard to take the time away from your team and your clients. 

We believe we can serve our clients better and avoid burnout if we make time for growth and new ideas.

We hope these tips and a sample letter for your supervisor will help you justify your MSSA 2020 attendance. We look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis!

Tips

1. Emphasize the specific skills you’d like to strengthen or develop at the conference and connect them to specific conference sessions being held this year.
2. Offer to share your learning by taking detailed notes and delivering a short presentation for your colleagues. This will benefit your whole team and organization.
3. Share the conference schedule and exhibitor list with your colleagues and offer to bring back resources to meet their needs.
4. Prepare a plan that shows who will cover for you while you are attending the conference.
5. Show that you’re conscious of the costs by finding ways to reduce the expenses, sharing a hotel room, or carpooling and using public transportation to get to the conference.

Sample Letter

Hello [FABULOUS MANAGER],
This year, as always, I would like to bring my best self to support our organization’s mission and help serve our clients. To help me strengthen the skills I’ll need to continue to grow and do my best work I’d love to attend MSSA’s upcoming 127th Annual Training Conference & Expo.
The 127th Annual Training Conference & Expo takes place March 11 – March 13, 2020, in Minneapolis, MN. Over 3,000 health and human services professionals will come together for over 130 sessions exploring current and emerging best clinical experiences, hear from presenters on their lived experiences, and be presented with diverse cultural and regional perspectives. Networking opportunities abound with an exhibit hall of over 200 organizations highlighting the latest resources and services. 

I think this conference is an excellent opportunity for us to engage with health and human services experts, connect with potential new partners/resources, and bring back best practices to the organization. I’m particularly excited about [SPECIFIC SESSION, EVENT, OR TOPIC], which I think will help us [APPLY TO YOUR WORK].

My attendance will cost about [COST], including travel, lodging, and registration. The registration fee includes my entire participation in the conference. I will ensure my duties are covered while I’m away and will take detailed notes and give a short recap presentation for our team when I return.

Thanks in advance for considering my request. I’d love to chat more about this opportunity and answer any questions you might have!