Discounts for Dues-Paying Members    

Inclusiveness is one of our core values, so dues are optional for NCDD members. To encourage those who can pay dues to do so, dues-paying members are eligible for discounts we’ve negotiated on the following trainings, courses and certificate programs offered by our partners – many of the most respected organizations in the field. Click here to learn more about joining (only $50 for individuals or $100 for organizations!).

1. Alchemy’s Graphic Recording Classes
2. Bay Area Nonviolent Communication’s Living Peace Intensive Residential Retreats
3. Breakthroughs UNLIMITED / Masterful Facilitation Institute Trainings
4. The Center for Strategic Facilitation Trainings
5. Center for Wise Democracy’s Dynamic Facilitation trainings
6. Certificate Program in Dialogue, Deliberation & Public Engagement
7. The Collaboration Imperative: Large Group Design Skills for Leaders and Consultants
8. Community at Work’s Group Facilitation Skills Training
9. Dalar International Consultancy Workshops
10. Dialogue Partners Trainings
11. Future Search Workshops
12. Harwood Public Innovators Lab
13. Heartland’s Art of Convening TeleTraining
14. IAP2 Certificate Course in Public Participation (The Perspectives Group)
15. Integral Visions Consulting Workshops
16. Leadership Currency: Harnessing Connective Power
17. Leadership Strategies’ The Effective Facilitator Course
18. National Charrette Institute Trainings and Certificates
19. PublicDecisions.com Online Trainings
20. Public Conversations Project Trainings

Heartland’s Art of Convening TeleTraining

Convening is a leadership capacity that has the power to integrate and magnify the individual and collective, or group, team, whole organization, to enhance business and organizational performance, or individual relationships.  How we gather, communicate and deliver the desired outcomes through our meetings is critical to the long-term vitality and success of our organizations and communities and the people within.

Using The Convening Wheel, Heartland‘s The Art of Convening Training is a practical map that anyone can navigate and activate as a core leadership competency. We travel the inner and outer path of the reflective leader, from getting to “The Heart of the Matter” to a “Commitment to Action” and all the territory in-between.

Training Format
Each 2-hour Session builds upon the last, combining guided teaching based on session themes and collaborative learning. The format, based on Heartland Inc.’s work with the Thought Leader Gatherings and various convening designs, utilizes ancient forms as well as modern systems for group effectiveness. All sessions are a blend of group interaction and engagement. Between sessions participants continue learning via experiential exercises, individual reading and reflection, and are supported by an online learning platform.

You will learn:
•  New practices and processes including: • Coaching Council Process  • Stringing the Beads
•  Design Elements Checklist
•  Working with Transitions
•  Working with the Principles of Convening

Learn more at http://heartlandcircle.com/aoc-main.htm. Heartland offers a permanent $75 discount for any Art of Convening Training to all NCDD Members. To receive $75 off any training, use this discount code when registering: DSC-HeartCom.

Leadership Currency: Harnessing Connective Power

Are you interested in increasing your Leadership Currency? Are you motivated to access the connective power within yourself, your organization and your networks? Led by four experts in personal transformation, group dynamics and organizational development, the Leadership Currency experience is designed for leaders and high-level managers. If you want to boost your collaborative performance, this is for you!

The group will meet four times over the course of 2010. The process includes monthly interaction by phone and online with facilitators from the Institute on the Common Good at Regis University and your peers. Our quarterly gatherings for 2010 are January 26th-29th, May 11th-14th, September 21st-24th, and December 7th-10th. The January experience is set to take place at The Nature Place, located on 6,000 acres of private land deep in the heart of Colorado’s mountain ecosystem.

If you are looking to:

• Integrate your passion in to your everyday work.
• Learn ways to inspire a new level of teamwork, focus and energy in your team and your networks.
• Recognize the emerging future and create strategies that move you forward with intention rather than in reaction.
• Bring a new found inspiration to your career and your business that results in a significantly higher level of prosperity and success.
• Develop a highly functioning team that works together as a self-correcting system.

Join this group experience. The cost of the experience is $3,150 for NCDD members (this reflects a 10% discount), payable in various installment plans. Don’t hesitate to call 303-458-4967 and we will connect you with one of our four coach/facilitators so you can talk one to one and have your questions answered. Call 303-458-4967 to sign up. More information is at www.leadershipcurrency.com.

Dalar International Consultancy Workshops

Birgitt Williams and Ward Williams of Dalar International Consultancy are the co-founders of the Genuine Contact™ Program.  This program is a highly adaptive and powerful series of processes that are simple to use and yet allow for handling complex issues and for working with your people that taps into the collective wisdom to solve the issues.

Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 25% discount off the regular price for any of Dalar’s upcoming events.  Simply note your NCDD membership on the registration form and the discount will be applied to your invoice.

Train the Trainer in the Genuine Contact Program
Learn how to use the Medicine Wheel Tool© as a framework for business success and become authorized to teach all of the components of Genuine Contact Program.  Pre-requisites include Sessions 1 through 4 of the Genuine Contact Program. 2009 rate: $1,500 ($1125 for NCDD members). Learn more or register today at www.dalarinternational.com/ws_certification.html.

Genuine Contact Mentoring Circle
This mentoring conference is an exceptional leading edge opportunities for participants to explore, experience and subsequently expand their own skills, knowledge, understanding, capacity, and confidence in achieving organizational success by leading organizations using a holistic, life affirming approach. 2009 rate: $200 ($150 for NCDD members). Read the complete conference description or register today at www.dalarinternational.com/ws_certification.html.

Certificate Program in Dialogue, Deliberation and Public Engagement

Fielding Graduate University’s graduate level Certificate Program in Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement provides a 10% discount for dues-paying NCDD members. I have heard only great things about this program, and I recommend it highly to anyone who wants to earn some credentials in D&D but isn’t quite ready for a doctorate.

This distinctive program focuses on recent innovations in dialogue, deliberation, and public engagement featuring outstanding faculty who have played key roles in developing these approaches. It strives for the development of mastery in our practice of dialogue and deliberation.

Designed and delivered in collaboration with The International Institute for Sustained Dialogue, the Kettering Foundation, and the Public Dialogue Consortium, the program features an outstanding faculty of scholar-practitioners (Hal Saunders, Barnett Pearce, Phil Stewart, Keith Melville, Jan Elliott, John Dedrick, Linda Blong, Kath Fisher). It also features guests in phone dialogues who are widely recognized scholars and innovative practitioners. Previous featured guests have included Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Juanita Brown, Martha McCoy, Bob Stains, Shawn Spano, Frank Barrett, Joe Peters, Janette Hartz-Karp and Jim Fishkin.

Learn with others from different backgrounds and countries who share your energy and enthusiasm for this work. Learn in two face-to-face workshops, online, and on the phone with world renowned practitioners.

Here’s what a few previous participants had to say:

• “The DDPE certificate program is exceptional.”
• “Altogether an outstanding experience.”
• “The Program was extremely valuable.”
• “This program has had, and continues to have, a huge impact on my thinking and the way I do my work.”

Tuition for the Fall 2009 program was US $3740 before July 18th. (fee-paying NCDD members pay $3365, paying $375). Learn more or register at www.fielding.edu/programs/ce/ddpe.

Leadership Strategies’ The Effective Facilitator Course

Learn the techniques our facilitators use to achieve amazing results through groups! How do you get groups to develop workable, realistic solutions? Our flagship course delivers the tools and techniques you can use immediately! We show you how to motivate a group, build consensus, manage dysfunction, maintain focus, generate ownership and inspire to action.

LSI offers this training dozens of times throughout the year throughout the U.S. and internationally. As of January 2009, there are upcoming trainings listed for Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Toronto, Denver, and Sydney. Directed by Michael Wilkinson, Leadership Strategies, Inc. is well-known for their high-quality facilitation trainings and certificate program. No Facilitation Class Offers You More:

• 300-page workbook
• 10 principles, over 90 techniques
• 10 detailed agendas
• 6 practice sessions
• Videotaping
• Spring Forward – we encourage you to implement your learning by providing a 60-day check-in to confirm your progress
• We reinforce your learning by sending you The Maximizer, a monthly refresher on one of the course techniques
• You also receive an autographed copy of The Secrets to Masterful Meetings, written by our CEO

NCDD members receive a 10% discount on all public or private classes. As of early 2009, public 4-day classes are $2095 ($1885.50 for paid NCDD members). 3-day training courses are $1695 ($1525.50 for NCDD members). Contact Sandra Liburd at 800-824-2850 x20 or register at www.leadstrat.com/public-register.html. You can also learn more about The Effective Facilitator at www.leadstrat.com/training-facil-effective-facilitator.html.

PublicDecisions.com Online Trainings

PublicDecisions.com offers practical online trainings for people who work with stakeholders and the public to solve problems, craft policies/programs or achieve social change. Their multi-audience website serves differing skill levels and learning needs around the practice of public involvement. Various trainings are tailored for public participation practitioners, for elected and appointed officials, and for nonprofit leaders.

Classes are conducted live, and quality is ensured by limiting class sizes to a small number of participants. All you need is high-speed internet and a phone (or Skype). Dues-paying NCDD members save 20% on all PublicDecisions classes, which are typically $95 for 60-minute courses (discount may not be combined with other coupons or offers). Contact Paul Coelus at for details on registering at the discounted rate. Learn more about PublicDecisions.com’s trainings.

Courses cover topics like:

• Working With Native American Communities
• Top Ten Reasons Not to Involve the Public in Your Decisions
• Graphic Design for Enlightened Communication
• Community Planning Events: Why and How to Organize Them
• Integrate the Public’s Values into Facility Siting Decisions: Turn NIMBY into GUMBY
  
• Become an Active Listener: Communicate Effectively with Angry and Upset People

Masterful Facilitation Institute / Breakthroughs UNLIMITED Trainings

The Masterful Facilitation Institute with Myriam Laberge, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator, and Brenda Chaddock, builds confidence and skill at designing and facilitating successful meetings, retreats, and sessions. These highly experiential programs enhance facilitation performance and produce extraordinary group results.

For more details, download visit the Masterful Facilitation Institute website at www.masterfulfacilitation.ca, send Myriam Laberge an email to , or call her at 604-943-9133. Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 10% discount on all Masterful Facilitation Institute and Breakthroughs UNLIMITED trainings.

Integral Visions Consulting Workshops

Integral Visions Consulting offers training in the Genuine Contact™ Program in both public forums and in-house workshops.  The Genuine Contact Program builds skill and capacity within individuals and the organization for working with change. It is the vehicle through which the organization becomes an interconnected learning organization, a Genuine Contact Organization. Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 25% discount on the regular price for all of Integral Visions Consulting’s upcoming events.  Simply note your NCDD Membership on the registration form and the discount will be applied to your invoice. Learn more and register at www.integralvisions.com/sessions.htm.

Community at Work’s Group Facilitation Skills Training

This is Community At Work‘s renowned 3-day workshop based on the international best-seller, Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making. Sarah Fisk, Ph.D. and Sam Kaner, Ph.D., co-authors of the Facilitator’s Guide, take turns leading these workshops focused on “putting participatory values into practice.” Most trainings take place at Community At Work in San Francisco, California.

Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 25% discount off of the $1895 – $795 sliding scale. (The best discounted adjusted fee for those who are self-employed or working for a community-based nonprofit is thus $596.25.) Please indicate that you are a member of NCDD at the time of registration. For more information and registration email or phone Duane Berger at 415-641-9773. Both Sarah’s and Sam’s workshops typically sell out early, so be sure and contact Duane ahead of time.

The Center for Strategic Facilitation Trainings

The Center for Strategic Facilitation is a partnership of consultants in the San Francisco Bay Area experienced in training, facilitation and organizational development. The CSF Senior Partners are Marti Roach and Jane Stallman. Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 20% discount on CSF trainings. To register, email Marti Roach at and indicate the course you are interested in. Marti will mail you the registration form. Be sure to write “NCDD member” on the top of your registration form before you mail it in. You can also call Marti at 925-376-3853 with questions.

CSF is committed to expanding the use of participatory approaches and methods by individuals, organizations and communities. It is affiliated with The Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA), a leader over the past four decades in promoting lasting change in communities, nonprofits and businesses. We utilize a distinct and proven approach developed by the ICA, called the Technology of Participation.

Hidden in Plain Sight: A Workshop on Unpacking Multiple Dimensions of Privilege and Facilitation
One of the ways institutional privilege operates is that when we have it, we’re often the last ones to see it. We have inherited a system of inequity that hurts us all. Some of us have more access to structural privilege than others, depending our age, body size, class background, physical/mental/emotional abilities, gender and gender-identity, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, citizenship status, native language… These forms of privilege shape our experiences and perspectives and therefore influence our facilitation. Join us for an opportunity to reflect on:

• What are some of the ways privilege impacts my facilitation, including in ways I may not be aware?
• How could increasing my awareness help me be in better service of the groups with whom I work?

ToP® Facilitation Methods Course
This 2-day intensive course presents the fundamentals of the Technology of Participation (ToP®) methods, with hands-on training to increase effectiveness, consensus and creativity in meetings. If you take one course to learn more about facilitation, this is it! $645 (only $516 for dues-paying NCDD members).

Facilitation Fundamentals Course
Participate in an information-filled introduction to the core concepts and practices of facilitation, including the role of the facilitator, agenda planning, key facilitative behaviors. This day-long introductory course is designed for those new to facilitation or those seeking to brush up on fundamental best practices. $295 (only $236 for dues-paying NCDD members).

Effective Meetings Toolkit
One day course. Stop meeting madness!  Learn how to have great meetings that people really want to go to.  Get pay backs of increased efficiency, decreased conflict, better decision making and greater group cohesiveness. $295 (only $236 for dues-paying NCDD members).

Public Conversations Project Trainings

The Public Conversations Project offers some of the best dialogue trainings out there. Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 15% discount off of all PCP trainings. Learn more at www.publicconversations.org, or register by contacting Alison at 888-PCP-TEAM x13 or .

PCP’s The Power of Dialogue (POD): Constructive Conversations on Divisive Issues
Through experiential exercises, an extensive dialogue simulation, presentations and demonstrations, participants in this 3-day workshop will learn how to apply the key elements of Public Conversations Project dialogue facilitation. Shifting communication and relationships – not beliefs – by:

• Creating conversational structures that prevent destructive debate and foster constructive dialogue
• Preparing a forum for new ways of speaking and listening through pre-dialogue contacts between facilitator and participants
• Partnering with participants in the planning of the dialogue to insure their commitment to and investment in the process
• Facilitating from a collaborative stance
• Reflection between participants and facilitators on the events of a dialogue to shape what happens next

Learn more about this workshop.

Let’s Talk: Skills for Hard Conversations
For years, people have asked us, “How can we talk about challenging, awkward or divisive issues with children, partners, colleagues and friends?” This one-day workshop applies PCP’s approach to conversations with people with whom we wish to have a good relationship with over time.

Through live demonstration interviews and coached practice exercises, we will emphasize: preparing to speak, which involves getting clear on our purposes; inviting the other person to speak in a way that is respectful and collaborative; speaking directly and clearly about our own experience and feelings; and listening openheartedly to the other person, with resilience and a commitment to understanding the ways that their experience and perspective may be different from ours.

Learn more about this workshop.

Inquiry as Intervention: Crafting Questions with Purpose and Impact
Questions are not only for eliciting information. They can set the tone for interaction, reflection, relationship development and problem-solving. The choices practitioners make about which questions to ask, as well as when and how to pose them, have an enormous impact on how all parties listen, pay attention, and respond to each other.

Focus on the power of crafting, asking, and responding to questions. Evaluate the potential for questions in your own practice. In this workshop, you will:

• experience the power of deliberately crafting and responding to questions
• practice crafting different types of questions to elicit thoughtful responses
• examine the shaping power of language and conversational structure on relationships and the trajectory of conflict.

Human Resources professionals, Organizational Development consultants, clergy, journalists, teachers, therapists, mediators, and others all have used their learnings from this workshop in their professional and personal lives. It works either on its own, as an introduction to The Power of Dialogue, or as a “refresher” course for those who have taken a PCP training but would like to delve more deeply into the process of inquiry.

Learn more about this workshop.

National Charrette Institute Trainings and Certificates

Charrettes are typically a potent combination of modern design studio and town meeting, with a dash of the teamwork from an old-fashioned barnraising mixed in. Most start with a hands-on session for citizens and continue in an around-the-clock, energetic push until a plan is finished about a week later. A charrette can be a breakthrough event that helps overcome inertia and creates a meaningful master plan. More about charrettes.

Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 10% discount on all NCI trainings. Visit www.charretteinstitute.org/programs.html for details on the upcoming trainings NCI is offering.

NCI Charrette Planner® Certificate
This certificate is geared toward public and private planning staff, development managers and advocacy group staff. This information is invaluable both for those who hire others to conduct charrettes and for those who will be conducting charrettes themselves. By the end of the program you will have practiced the complete process for planning a charrette.

NCI Complete Charrette Manager™ Certificate
Charrettes are dynamic with unique challenges. Charrette managers must be quick on their feet and have a large toolbox of processes and skills.  The NCI Charrette Management training equips professionals with the necessary tools for managing large charrettes.  This 1.5-day training is an in-depth study of the most challenging aspects of the multiple-day charrette.

NCI Public Meeting Facilitator™ Certificate
The comprehensive charrette manager must know how to handle the most volatile public meetings. In just two days you will gain the lessons learned from some of the toughest charrettes and learn how so many potential problems can be defused by knowing how to properly set up and facilitate public meetings. You will finally be able to relax while conducting a large meeting, knowing that you have the most effective tools and preventions in place. Today, the range of abilities of people who are running charrettes varies as much as the definition of the charrette process itself. Adding an NCI certificate to your credentials distinguishes you as someone with the most advanced process tools and puts you ahead of the competition for high profile jobs that require substantial public involvement.

Dialogue Partners’ Trainings

Dialogue Partners Inc. offers specialized trainings in public involvement. Most DPI programs are delivered by Stephani Roy McCallum. Stephani is past President of IAP2, Senior Consultant and Owner of Dialogue Partners Inc., and certified trainer with IAP2. She boasts an impressive expanse of consultation and facilitation experience in a variety of diverse settings, on a wide range of controversial subjects. Stephani is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator and holds certificates in public policy moderation, community development, and facilitated planning.

Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 15% discount off the regular registration rate for DPI trainings. More info about the trainings can be found at www.dialoguepartners.ca/training.

Calming Conflict and Controversy in Public Involvement Course
Dialogue Partners’ one-day “Calming Conflict and Controversy in Public Involvement” course helps identify and develop communication skills, engagement skills and behaviors that will assist in creating positive and productive engagements, diffusing conflict and eliminating defensiveness in public participation exchanges. Often, a lack of knowing where to begin or how to undertake public participation initiatives results in confusion and conflict between the organization and its stakeholders. Conflict resolution and communication skills can go a long way in diffusing the degree of its intensity, especially if these tools are used before the public involvement forums are conducted.

Dialogue Partners’ Group Facilitation Skills for Public Involvement Course
Dialogue Partners’ 2-day “Group Facilitation Skills for Public Involvement” course provides the guidance, skills and knowledge necessary to learn the basics of group facilitation – with a focus on facilitating public and stakeholder involvement. Participants will learn facilitation skills to calm controversy, expand positive participation, build consensus and move discussion forward.

The Center for Wise Democracy’s Dynamic Facilitation Trainings

The Center for Wise Democracy assists communities in creating Wisdom Councils – randomly-selected, facilitated ‘juries’ reflecting the larger diversity of the community – which engage in dialogue about the larger system and arrive at creative consensus on shared visions. These visions in turn serve to increase the quality of the dialogue among the larger community. “Dynamic facilitation“ is used to facilitate Wisdom Councils, and the Center provides trainings in dynamic facilitation regularly.

Dynamic Facilitation is a unique form of facilitation that feels like dialogue in that people share deeply from the heart about has meaning to them and generates group decisions and unanimous outcomes similar to deliberation. Its large-scale applications, known as the Creative Insight Council and the Wisdom Council, are being used to transform democracy in the public and private sphere, helping diverse groups address systemic and complex issues creatively and collaboratively and reached shared outcomes. In this introductory seminar, you’ll learn how to use these skills to help groups and large systems think together creatively and collaboratively to achieve self-organizing, win/win outcomes at home and in workplaces, schools, government agencies, and community settings.

Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 20% discount on DF trainings which, for nonprofits, are regularly $995 for the 3-day training ($796 for dues-paying NCDD members). Visit www.tobe.net for more information and to register. The regular government rate is $1,195 and the corporate rate is $1,395. To register, please contact DeAnna Martin at or 206-965-8498.

Alchemy’s Graphic Recording Classes

Graphic Recording is a powerful tool that enables groups of people to work together in highly effective, collaborative and satisfying ways. It’s a visual system that captures information, ideas and documents and interactively supports group process. To the casual observer, the essence of recording is the ability to listen, take quick accurate notes and draw. Beneath the surface exist overall process consulting, filtering/synthesis skills and graphic architecture skills. Alchemy’s exciting six-hour training will give you a solid introduction to:

The WHAT of Graphic Recording:

• Roles of a graphic recorder; before, during and after a meeting
• Dynamics and process experienced by a group and you as the recorder

HOW to Graphic Record:

• Core Recording Skills
• Process Skills
• Information Skills

Alchemy is a respected graphic recording consultancy based in Denver, Colorado. Dues-paying NCDD members receive a 20% discount off the $500 registration rate, so they pay $400. Go to www.link2alchemy.com/learning_00.html for more details, or email Kathleen Clevenger at with questions or to register.

Future Search Workshops

Future Search is an innovative, highly participatory planning process that allows people to discover a set of shared values or themes (common ground) and build new dynamics such as inclusion and collaboration into their organization or community. Future search is not owned by anyone and all are encouraged to use the process and experiment with it.

Managing a Future Search – A Learning Workshop
At this unique, interactive workshop for business, nonprofit, public sector and community leaders, participants:

• Develop a theory and practice of facilitating large, diverse groups.
• Learn how to enable a community, corporation, or organization to transform its capability for action and rapid change.
• Acquire the tools needed to design, organize, and manage Future Search conferences with integrity, in any sector or culture.
• Understand key issues in matching conference tasks and stakeholders.
• Transcend conflicts and gain commitment for making and implementing action plans, applying this proven and carefully structured process.

Presenters Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff, Ph.D. are co- authors of FUTURE SEARCH: An Action Guide to Finding Common Ground in Organizations and Communities. They work with whole systems across all sectors. Sandra and Marv are co-directors of Future Search Network, a non-profit voluntary association of 350 practitioners worldwide dedicated to learning, colleagueship, and community service.

The regular registration rate for the June 2009 training was $1690. Dues-paying NCDD members are eligible for a 30% discount (only $1183). The workshop runs one evening, two full days and a morning. Learn more.

“Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!” – An Advanced Facilitation Workshop
This facilitation workshop is based on the newly released book, “DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, STAND THERE! Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter,” and is presented by the authors – internationally-known facilitators and Future Search co-creators Sandra Janoff and Marvin Weisbord.

The workshop presents a philosophy, theory and method for transforming diverse work groups of all kinds. This seminar, integrating system change and personal growth theories is for experienced leaders who want to increase their capacity to help large, diverse groups stay task-focused and accomplish ambitious goals. Future search experience is not necessary for this workshop. This workshop runs one afternoon, one full day and one morning.

The next scheduled training is set for December 6-9, 2009 in Villanova, PA (outside Philly). The regular registration rate for this training is $1195. Dues-paying NCDD members are eligible for a 30% discount (only $836.50). Learn more or register.

IAP2 Certificate Course in Public Participation

The Perspectives Group is offering The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) certificate program in the DC area four times in 2008. The course consists of a series of three courses over five days. These courses allow public participation professional to master the basics of how to design and deliver a public participation program and enhance their existing skills. Upon completion of all courses, students will be awarded a Certificate in Public Participation from IAP2.

Douglas Sarno is an IAP2 Master Trainer and was part of the team of developers that designed the IAP2 Certificate Training Program. He has over 20 years of experience in planning and implementing public participation programs and has written and spoken widely on public participation issues. He has designed and implemented successful and effective public participation programs throughout the world. Doug has also developed training and guidance for public participation programs for numerous agencies, and regularly conducts independent evaluations of public participation programs. Doug has delivered the IAP2 training dozens of times, to over 1,000 students, and the Perspectives Group is one of the nation’s leading firms in the application of public participation programs.

As of early 2009, the registration fee for the 2-day courses, “Planning for Effective Public Participation” and “Techniques for Public Participation” was $700 (each); registration for the one-day “Effective Communication for Public Participation” course was $350. Dues-paying NCDD members are eligible for a 15% discount on these registration rates ($1487.5 instead of $1750 total for all three courses). Go to www.theperspectivesgroup.com/capabilities/training.html to learn more, or look over the 2009 training brochure (which includes the registration form). Write “NCDD Member Discount” at the top of the registration form you send in with the discounted payment; they’ll verify with us that you are a dues-paying member.

Bay Area Nonviolent Communication’s Living Peace Intensive Residential Retreats

Come and stretch your heart muscles and explore the practice of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) at one of the Living Peace retreats led by Bay NVC’s senior trainers. The retreats feature tasty (mostly organic) food, beautiful settings, and dedicated support of individual and small group learning.

Increase your ability to:

• Build relationships based on compassion and understanding
• Accurately understand other people’s feelings and needs
• Be assertive and negotiable at the same time
• Break patterns of thinking that lead to anger and depression

At BayNVC, we have a deep joy in and commitment to making NVC available to all people regardless of their financial means. We would also like to extend a special welcome to NCDD members to honor our shared appreciation of dialogue and deliberation. Thus, we ask NCDD members to pay the most they could for the retreats, minus 20 percent. Learn more about our philosophy of money at www.baynvc.org/nvc_money.php. Register for any of these retreats at www.baynvc.org/retreats.php.

Harwood Public Innovators Lab

The Harwood Public Innovators Lab is an intensive, four day experience that will help you create new pathways to accelerate change and engender authentic hope in your communities – finding ways to get past the negative conditions in public life that stand in the way of progress. During the Lab you will examine how you can see, think about, and engage in your work from three important perspectives – how you engage communities; how you think about your organization’s role in change; and what you need to do as an individual to be effective and stay true to your own values.

Rich Harwood founded the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation to help people imagine and act for the public good. For almost 20 years, he and his colleagues have been evolving both the ideas and the practical approaches for changing the negative conditions in society that too often divide people and keep them from making progress in their neighborhoods, communities, and the nation as a whole. At The Harwood Institute, we seek nothing less than to spark fundamental change in American public life – so that people can tap their own potential to make a difference and join together to build a common future.

We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works within a long tradition of small, catalytic, and public-spirited organizations in American history that have sought to improve public life and politics. Our current work is focused on bringing to scale our innovations so that people and organizations across the nation can gain affordable access to this content and make it their own. Central to these efforts is our work to cultivate new public innovators and build new boundary spanning organizations that will serve as catalysts for change and hope in communities across the nation.

Registration for the 2009 Lab was $995 ($895.50 for dues-paying NCDD members). For the 10% discount, enter “NCDD” into the special code field when registering. Visit www.theharwoodinstitute.org/landing/pub_innov_lab2.html to learn more, or by email Cindy Page at or call (301) 656-3669 if you have questions.