The three core public participation classes help students to develop a solid foundation for understanding, developing and implementing public involvement processes. These classes bring to participants the collective experience of practitioners from around the world in an interactive and experiential learning environment. These interactive classes let students explore and solve their own public participation challenges with instructors and peers.
Planning for Effective Public Participation (2 days)
Planning provides the essential elements for planning and integrating effective public involvement processes. This two day course covers the framework needed for comprehensive and effective public involvement process development. As a prerequisite for IAP2’s other certificate modules, the Planning course helps students define the issues and circumstances for which public participation is needed and what levels of participation will be most effective. Course participants learn how to identify and engage stakeholders and ensure their involvement.
The course features discussions of values and ethics associated with public involvement processes and introduces IAP2’s Spectrum for Public Participation. Course participants establish clear and achievable objectives for public participation and gain an understanding of what an organization or agency promises to its public when it seeks involvement form its stakeholders.
Class participants also discuss how to assess their own organizations’ readiness to launch and maintain effective public involvement programs. The course also covers how to evaluate public involvement processes and how to make use of ongoing feedback.
Communications for Effective Public Participation (1 day)
Communications skills provide the foundation and fuel to great public involvement processes. This one-day module offers participants skills and approaches to share among all project team members. It offers an overview of the communication skills used by public participation practitioners provides an introduction to communication skills and models. The course introduces the Principles of Authentic Communications and focuses on presenting information in a variety of forms to reach intended audiences.
The course provides an overview of small- and large-group interaction models and facilitation essentials. Participants learn the elements needed to prepare communication plans and to practice active listening. They gain an understanding of the essentials of communicating risk, managing anger, making effective written and verbal presentations and working with media.
This course is designed as a primer and is suitable for beginning to intermediate level practitioners and those who want a review of a variety of communication techniques. Interactive exercises and practical tips are used to enliven the basic theory and reference materials presented throughout the day and reinforce skills that participants can put to immediate use.
Techniques for Effective Public Participation (2 days)
This two-day module provides a range of practical tools and techniques. It includes discussions about more than 40 tools and techniques tested and used by public participation practitioners around the globe. The course is designed as a primer and is suitable for beginning to intermediate level practitioners for basic group process techniques. It gives course participants an opportunity to sample specific techniques including World Cafe, Interviews, Samoan Circle, Citizens Jury and Advisory Groups. It also offers advanced practitioners an opportunity to link together techniques and customize techniques to align with specific project needs.
Interactive exercises and practical tips are used to enliven the basic theory and reference materials presented throughout the two-day session and reinforce skills that participants can put to immediate use.
The techniques course explores effective forums for dialogue and how to avoid the many problems encountered with traditional public hearings. Students leave this module armed with a detailed student manual covering the course materials and a packet of IAP2 Tip Sheets offering practical advice for selecting, using and evaluating a broad range of public participation activities.
Trainers:John Godec
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Chicago, IL (PDF) Brochure
(You may print this brochure and submit the completed registration form via fax or email OR proceed below with on-line registration
IAP2 Chicago, IL OCT 28-NOV 1, 2013
