Info for parents
As the parent of a child coming to Assembly we'd like to assure you that we will take good care of your child. For that we have compiled some information regarding Assembly's background and some instructive material.
To ensure that your child has a pleasant and safe stay at the party we ask you to read this material carefully, review it together with your child, and keep it at hand while your child is visiting the party.
What is Assembly about?
Assembly is a gathering of like-minded computer hobbyists. This includes creating multimedia demonstrations known as "digital art" but also playing games, competing in fun sports, enjoying music, attending seminars, surfing the net, and more. While most of those activities can also be done at home it is a lot more fun if you join your friends and meet thousands of other people.
The first Assembly was held in a school in Kauniainen in 1992 and attracted over 700 visitors. Since then the party has grown to more than 5,000 visitors bringing more than 3,000 computers to the party place.
Who comes to Assembly?
Due to the broad range of topics and the long history of Assembly we attract a wide range of visitors:
adult computer professionals with Assembly background (usually 18-40+ years old)
active creators of digital art (13-25+ years old)
computer gamers (12-25+ years old)
other computer hobbyists (12-50+ years old)
Our youngest visitors are 10 years old and the oldest ones are over 50 years old. There are no age restrictions at Assembly, but we do recommend that children under 13 years of age do not come to the event without someone accompanying them.
Logistics
We have all this equipment, how do we get it to and from the party place?
Please read the according sections in this manual when preparing (especially the driving instructions and the instructions on bringing equipment to the party hall).
As a parent you can of course help your child by bringing the equipment into the party hall - you do not need a ticket to do that. If you'd like to stay after bringing in equipment, you're welcome, but you will need to buy a separate ticket.
How safe is Assembly for my child?
Assembly is a very safe place: while having thousands of visitors and computers in one place we have had only very few accidents or crimes.
To keep Assembly a safe place around the clock, we have:
stand-by personnel from the professional first aid team to deal with medical emergencies
a trained security team that works in co-operation with the event venue's staff.
Despite the effort from our experienced organizers, every visitor is ultimately responsible for both their own health and their own property. So, please take the time and review the following list together with your child to help him or her act responsibly:
Valuable items (computers, ...) - should never be left unguarded. We have a storage where valuable items can be brought to, but it is better to have a friend watch larger things when your child leaves his or her place. For laptops we recommend bringing a lock.
Sleep - Sleep is necessary to prevent accidents and enable your child to have more fun with their friends. We offer supervised sleeping areas for our visitors. You can bring your own mattress, up to 90 cm wide, to the sleeping area. It's advisable to pack at least a pillow, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad.
Diet - Remind your child to eat frequently and diversely. We recommend bringing their own snacks and a refillable water bottle. There are a wide variety of dining options around the event venue, which are mainly open only during the day.
Rules - Familiarize yourself and go through the event rules with your child before the event. If your child is attending the event for the first time, carefully review both the party guide and the information about the event venue (Exhibition Centre). This ensures that your child knows how to act in any situation during the event.
Insurance - Check your insurance company about their policies, just you know what to do in the unlikely case if something should happen.
Dealing with problems - If you our your child encounter any problem, contact the Assembly staff first. Either by talking to one of our organizers, coming to the Infodesk, sending email, or calling us at the party place. If there is a problem, we will by happy to help resolving it.
How can I contact my child at the party place?
The best chance of reaching your child is if he or she brings a mobile phone and you call him or her directly.
During the event it is very hard for us to reach one particular individual. However, if you have bought tickets in advance, you will get an order confirmation together with the tickets. The confirmation sheet contains the number of the computer places which will help us to locate your child if needed - so please keep a copy of the order confirmation.
Who is Assembly Organizing?
Assembly Organizing Oy is a privately owned company incorporated in Finland. We own the Assembly concept and run the events. The Assembly events are organized by over 200 volunteers, young men and women, and has taken place since 1992 every single year and we can safely say we know how to make ASSEMBLY fun and safe for all participants.
Further questions
We hope that we could demonstrate that it is safe and fun for your child to join Assembly. However, if you have any further questions, please email us and we will be happy to answer.
