Joining our public forum on Microsoft Teams

Guidelines for members of the public and other guests

We’re using Microsoft Teams as our audio and video conferencing tool for our public meetings. You do not need to have the MS Teams app installed on your device. You can simply join using the web version of Teams.

Joining the meeting

Step 1: launch MS teams or join using your web browser

To join the meeting, all you have to do is click on this link: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

You may have the MS Teams app already installed. If this is the case, select the option to ‘launch it now’. In all other instances, select ‘join on the web’ instead.

Once you have joined via your web browser, you will be asked to allow Teams to use your microphone and camera so you can fully interact with the meeting participants. Click ‘allow’.

Step 2: tell us who you are

Please enter your name to ensure that hosts are aware of who has joined the meeting.

Step 3: choose your video and audio settings

You can switch on your camera to allow others in the meeting to see you; or you can switch it off. You can also opt to blur your background.

Please leave your microphone switched to ‘off’ to help reduce background noise.

Step 4: join the meeting

Click ‘join now’. You may enter a ‘lobby’, but you will be admitted shortly to the meeting.

During the meeting

The following guidelines can be helpful to understand some useful controls to use during the meeting:

Unmuting and muting your mic

Using the chat box 

Turning your video on and off

Raising your hand to ask a question

A few tips to get the most out of the Public Forum  

  1. Please keep your microphone off/muted to avoid background noise, eg washing machines or the sound from your keyboard
  2. For questions or comments – use the chat box at the side or raise your hand if you would like to speak
  3. We will keep an eye on raised hands and the chat box and invite people to speak so please be patient
  4. We are keen to hear from as many people as possible so please try to be brief –  we will need to manage our time well and we may need to ask contributors to wind up to ensure that everyone has a good experience
  5. If you find you have poor sound quality, try turning off video as this can sometimes help
  6. We are keen to know who is here so please join with your name rather than the name of your device if possible
  7. The session will be recorded; please feel free to turn your camera off if you do not want to be identified

Need more help?

If you have any further questions or queries, please contact the meeting organiser by email at hello@lambethtogether.net.

If you’re joining from an organisation, you may be able to consult your own IT support team to make sure you have permissions to access the meeting and everything on your computer is working as it should.