w. 2006 03 (mar)
National Online Discussion about Health Care from March 22-April 5
Go national with your opinions about health care in America by visiting www.AmericansDiscussHealth.org from March 22 to April 5. Join citizens from around the country and post your opinions in a personal blog, explore your ideas in the discussion forums and get vocal about health care. This web-based public forum is a part of more than thirty meetings of varying sizes being convened across the United States by the Citizens?’ Health Care Working Group (www.citizenshealthcare.gov). The purpose of the meetings and the online dialogue is to discuss health care benefits and services, getting health care, financing, and tradeoffs and options. This feedback from these meetings will help develop recommendations which, bylaw, the President is required to respond to and upon which Congress will hold hearings. The two-week national online discussion about health care will begin with a March 22 webcast meeting: "What?’s Your Health Worth?" held from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at http://mc.umich.edu/clients/vpcomm/healthmeeting/. Visit this site after the meeting to view an archived version of the event.
The Citizens Health Care Working Group has also lined up a series of small and large-scale public meetings aimed at engaging the American public in establishing the values and priorities that must drive health care reform in 2008 and beyond. The first large-scale forum, designed and facilitated by AmericaSpeaks, was held March 4 in Los Angeles and engaged more than 500 residents from the across the city. Between January and May of 2006, more than 30 public have been scheduled across the country. To learn more about this initiative, please visit www.citizenshealthcare.gov.
Added by Amy Lang on March 22, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Taos Institute Announces Workshop Line Up
This Spring the Taos Institute is offering a full array of Appreciative Inquiry workshops. The workshop offerings are sponsored by our board members, the advisory board members and our associates and reflect their interests, practices and gifts. All workshop content is in alignment with social construction ideas and is grounded in its theory and practices. Register through the workshop presenters. To see a full listing, descriptions and registration information visit: www.taosinstitute.net. To see a list of the workshops, click on the link below.
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Added by Amy Lang on March 16, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Pioneers of Change Organizing Upcoming Conferences in South Africa and Canada
Pioneers of Change, a global learning network of young people in their 20's and 30's, will be organizing several events and trainings this spring and summer. These include:
- A three-day course on leadership "Presencing Collective Leadership for Profound Innovation and Change" in Johannesburg, South Africa from March 30-April 1, 2006;
- A training in "The Art of Hosting and Convening Conversations" in Johannesburg South Africa from May 15-17, 2006 and a special youth version of the training in Castle Borl, Slovenia from 6 - 9 July 2006.
- The Pioneers of Change Summer School in The Shire - Nova Scotia, Canada from August 19- 25, 2006.
To find out more about each event, including contact information, click on the link below, or visit the Pioneers of Change website: http://pioneersofchange.net/
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Added by Amy Lang on March 14, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Particpatory Budgeting Event Coming Up in NY
Participatory budgeting (PB) is a year-long process of democratic deliberation and decision-making, in which ordinary city residents decide how to allocate part of a municipal or public budget. PB first emerged in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre where it has over the last two decades increased political participation, decreased economic inequality and corruption and developed citizen capacities that have spurred further organizing and activism. Since then PB has spread to hundreds of cities in Latin America and other continents. A panel will discuss Participatory Budgeting in North America and NYC Saturday, March 11th, 2:00-4:00 pm. Topics include How can PB be applied in North America, and New York more specifically? The workshop will discuss the potential for PB in North America, existing PB processes in Canada, and what PB might mean for New York. Visit www.leftforum.org for more information.
The moderator for the event will be Mike Menser, Brooklyn College and NYC Social Forum and panelists include Josh Lerner, New School; Jennifer Flynn, NYC AIDS Housing Network and Still We Rise; and Gianpaolo Baoicchi, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Added by Amy Lang on February 28, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Mini C2D2 Event Coming Up In Toronto
The organizers of the Canadian Conference on Dialogue and Deliberation (C2D2) are holding an event March 2 in Toronto at Metro Hall from 3PM to 8:30PM. The format is set up so you can attend all or part, depending on your schedule. For more information, contact: Melissa Abramowitz, , Charlotte Young, or Miriam Wyman, . To see the agenda for this mini conference, click on the link below.
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Added by Amy Lang on February 27, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Perspectives Group to Offer IAP2 Certified Training
The Perspectives Group will offer a five-day IAP2 Certificate Program in Public Participation six times in 2006. This training is designed for professionals working in the fields of community development, nonprofit and government public services, and public understanding and outreach. It is also designed for industry communications and public affairs or public relations, advocacy and lobbying organizations, private and government groups, and any individual/organization required to deal with the public about complex or potentially contentious issues. Upon completion of the full week of training, participants will receive a certificate from IAP2, the world?’s leading association for public participation. Dates and locations are: Alexandria, VA April 3 ?– 7; July 10 ?– 14; September 18 ?– 22; December 4 ?– 8 and East Lansing, MI March 20-21 (Planning only). The full week of training is $1,475, or $295 per day. The Course is broken up into 3 sections: Planning for Effective Public Participation (two days), Effective Communication for Public Participation (one day), and Techniques for Public Participation (two days). Please note that the Planning course is a prerequisite to the Communications and Techniques courses. For additional information go to www.theperspectivesgroup.com/resource/trainingpro.html or feel free to contact Crystal Sarno or Kristie Bergeron-Hale at The Perspectives Group 703-837-1197 or .
Added by Amy Lang on February 25, 2006??-??Link to this entry
AmericaSpeaks Seeking Facilitators and Participants for California Dialogues
NCDD member Lars Torres sent the following message to the NCDD listserv asking for volunteers. AmericaSpeaks is organizing and facilitating a series of meetings this spring on health care policy for the Citizens' Health Care Working Group (www.citizenshealthcare.gov). The recommendations that result from the citizen engagement process will be presented to Congress and the President, whose response is required by law. For more information on this initiative and AmericaSpeaks' role, please visit www.americaspeaks.org/spotlight/?p=28
The first community meeting will take place in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, March 4. With less than 2 weeks to go, AmericaSpeaks are in urgent need of more facilitators and participants. If you can, please take a few minutes to encourage anyone you know in the Los Angeles area who may be interested in participating or facilitating to register as facilitators or participants for this meeting. Registering for the meeting is pretty easy and can be done on-line at
www.citizenshealthcare.gov/register or by phone at 1-800-679-3684. If you have questions, would like more information, or would like to sign up, please contact Surjeet Ahluwalia at AmericaSpeaks: (t) 202-775-3939, x1006 (f)202-775-0404; email or visit the AmericaSpeaks website above.
Added by Amy Lang on February 22, 2006??-??Link to this entry
One World Training in Deliberative Dialogue Coming Up
On March 20 and 21, 2006, One World Inc. (OWI) will offer a training workshop on Deliberative Dialogue in Ottawa, Canada. The Deliberative Dialogue methodology is an innovative, proven approach to engage citizens and stakeholders in productive discussions on public policy. It delves into the core of key social issues by accessing people?’s wisdom and expertise through a facilitation technique that helps people thoughtfully examine various realistic but often divergent perspectives. These discussions are values-based dialogues as opposed to agenda-driven debates. During this two-day workshop, participants will learn the key elements of this methodology. The training will be practical, focusing on the skills needed to facilitate and/or note take for a Deliberative Dialogue session. It will be a ?“hands-on?” workshop where participants will practice the approach and receive feedback from other participants and the trainer. Documentation will be provided as a reference manual for the participants. Cost for voluntary sector participants is $450 and the cost is $750 for Government and private sector participants. The registration deadline is March 14, and space is limited to fifteen participants. For more information, contact Colleen Murdoch by phone at 562-4073, ext. 310 or email .
Added by Amy Lang on February 21, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Art of Facilitation Workshop Coming Up in Boulder, CO
The Institute on the Common Good and Regis University are sponsoring "The Art of Facilitation" Workshop with Leilani Rashida Henry March 9-10, 2006 in Boulder, CO. The workshop teaches the skills for dialogue facilitation. Advanced facilitation requires a multitude of subtle skills such as self awareness, balancing divergent with convergent thinking and the ability to be effortlessly present. The Art of Facilitation enhances the skill to innovate and execute in the moment, to ?‘think on your feet?’. It teaches facilitators to become flexible and adaptable, challenge when required, become graceful under pressure and model the skills they are presenting. It also enables facilitators to create learning environments in which participants seek and find their own solutions to simple or complex issues. ICG offers these workshops to bring out the extraordinary facilitator within you. Our presenter is Leilani Rashida Henry, Licensed Brain GymŪ practitioner and Founder of Being and LivingŪ Enterprises. Leilani is a nationally recognized thought leader for bringing innovative strategies to collective transformation. She is the ICG 2006 Fellow. Learn more about Leilani at www.beingandliving.com. The workshop registration fee is $125.00 To register for the workshop please go to http://icgregis.org/. Click on "Upcoming Events" and scroll down to the "Art of Facilitation" workshop where you will find a link to register. Or you may register by calling Katie Bruen, Project Coordinator for the Institute on the Common Good at Regis University at 303-458-4967.
Added by Amy Lang on February 12, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Intercultural Communication Courses Offered in Davis, California
As part of the University of California, Davis Extension, Common Ground: Center for Cooperative Solutions helps government entities, agencies and private- and public-sector organizations come together to find unique solutions to challenging and complex issues. This spring, Common Ground will be offering 2 two-day courses on Intercultural Relations, designed for those who want to better understand the dynamics of intercultural communication and conflict. Intercultural relations specialist Linda Ziegahn, Ph.D., will be conducting both courses. For more information, call 800-752-0881 x4414 go to www.extension.ucdavis.edu/commonground/.
Added by Sandy on February 06, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Peacebuilding and Mediation Training Coming Up in Ottawa
The Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation (CIIAN) in Ottawa will be offering several courses on Peacebuilding and Mediation this spring. Courses include "The Power Clinic for Mediators," "Negotiating Agreements In Conflict Settings" and "Violence Prevention: Theory-Informed Practice." Dr. Ben Hoffman, President of CIIAN, will lead all three courses. For more info or to register please visit the ?“Special Programs?” page on the CIIAN website at www.ciian.org/special1.shtml
Added by Amy Lang on January 20, 2006??-??Link to this entry
IAP2 Spring Training Schedule Released
IAP2 has realeased its Spring Training calendar with plenty of opportunities to learn public participation skills in trainings across North America and Australia. Courses include "Communications for Effective Public Participation," "Techniques for Effective Public Participation," and "Planning for Effective Public Participation. To see a full list of courses, dates and locations, click on the link below. Or visit IAP2's website: www. iap2.org.
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Added by Amy Lang on January 17, 2006??-??Link to this entry
OrangeBand Initiative to Launch Anti-Apathy Campaign
The OrangeBand Initiative (www.orangeband.org) is poised to launch The Anti Apathy Campaign on March 15. They are inviting anyone who is interested to help shape, share, and support it. An innovative planning workshop for the campaign will be held at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA on Saturday January 28th from 12-7pm. Anyone interested in being part of an effort to promote civic engagement is invited to attend ?– and asked to invite others who might want to attend. The time will be designed in such a manner that everyone in attendance will be able to share and focus specifically on their interests. The first 75 registrants get free lunch and dinner. The official invitation is available at www.OrangeBand.org/antiapathy/antiapathy_jan28_invite_v2.pdf - register at OrangeBand's website listed above. To develop the online infrastructure to manage this campaign, OrangeBand is offering student internships for the winter break. If you have technical resources at your disposal to help add functionality to website, please be in touch. Details are available at www.orangeband.org/orangeband_internships_winter2005.pdf
Added by Amy Lang on December 13, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Perspectives Group Announces 2006 IAP2 Certificate Training Schedule
The Perspectives Group has just announced its International Association for Public Participation Certificate training in 2006. This course provides beginner through advanced practitioners with a broad-based learning experience covering all of the foundations of public participation. The Perspectives Group is one of the nation?’s foremost experts in public participation and works throughout the world to establish and run advisory boards, communicate risk and technical information, develop cooperative decision-making programs, and enhance organizational effectiveness through team-building, visioning, and effective communications. Douglas Sarno, an IAP2 Master Trainer, 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. Doug has delivered the IAP2 training dozens of times, to over 1,000 students worldwide. The courses will be held on the following dates: Alexandria, Virginia - Douglas J. Sarno, trainer: January 30 - February 3; April 3 - 7; July 10 - 14; September 18 - 22; December 4 - 8. In East Lansing, Michigan - David Bidwell, trainer: February 23 ?– 24 (Planning) & March 20-22 (Communications & Techniques). For additional information, or to register for the training, please visit www.theperspectivesgroup.com/resource/trainingpro.html
Added by Amy Lang on December 02, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Southern Growth Policies Board Seeks Help Exploring Issue of Innovation
Each year, Southern Growth Policies Board (www.southern.org) starts a conversation in the South on a particular issue related to economic development. They do this by holding community forums or moderated discussions, in communities large and small across the region. This year, Southern Growth is seeking public help in exploring the issue of innovation. All participating communities' input will be used in presentations at the Southern Innovation Summit on June 4-6, 2006 in New Orleans and in developing Southern Growth's 2006 Report on the Future of the South. These forums can also be used as a tool to galvanize action in your own community. Southern Growth provides all groups with all the materials for a two-hour discussion. Civic clubs, workforce boards, and leadership classes can provide the audience, or create your own. A typical forum audience is between 10 to 30 citizens. Once you have sent the invitations, just let Southern know the date and location and they will send you supplies and instructions ?– or you can simply download and copy the materials yourself at www.southern.org/forums.shtml. Materials include a Moderator's Guide and a Discussion Guide as well as Pre-Forum and Post-Forum Questionnaires. Forums must be held by March 2006 in order to include your community?’s perspective in the 2006 Report on the Future of the South. Forum hosts who complete and return the moderator?’s report and questionnaires by March 10, 2006 are eligible for a reduced conference registration rate to the Southern Innovation Summit. For more information on how to plan or moderate a community forum, contact Linda Hoke at (919) 941-5145 or . To view materials ?– and findings ?– from past forums and reports, visit Southern Growth?’s Web site above.
Added by Amy Lang on December 01, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Conducting Complex Meetings Course Offered by Common Ground
As part of University of California, Davis Extension, Common Ground helps government entities, agencies and private- and public-sector organizations come together to find unique solutions to challenging and complex issues. This winter Common Ground will be offering two, one-day courses in Managing Complex Meetings for public- and private-sector professionals who wish to build their capacity for collaboration and conflict resolution. Controversial issues, public settings and large groups of people can quickly turn a simple meeting into a complex and challenging situation. These courses will provide a broad repertoire of tools for organizing and running potentially-troublesome meetings. In the first session, participants will gain the skills to engage stakeholders in the design of meeting agendas and to match the format of meetings to its goals. The second session will look at productive intervention and how to productively engage diverse and sometimes difficult stakeholders. Mediator Susan Carpenter will be conducting both sessions. Carpenter has spent the past 25 years developing and managing programs to reach consensus on public issues, resolve public controversies and develop common goals and visions. For the convenience of program participants, these courses are offered at the Sutter Square Galleria, 2901 K St., midtown Sacramento. Managing Complex Meetings: The Fundamentals, will be offered on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 9 am - 4pm. Managing Complex Meetings: Taking on the Challenges, will be offered on Wednesday, March 1, 9 am - 4 pm. To enroll or to request more information, please call (800) 752-0881 or visit UC Davis Extension's Web site at extension.ucdavis.edu/commonground/.
