Training Update: Registration Open for Facilitating Engagement Course

By popular demand, D+A is offering its first-ever public Facilitating Engagement workshop.

We have delivered this workshop dozens of times over the past several years, to a wide variety of organizations as an in-house workshop. Our IAP2 participants have been asking for this training to further their public participation skills, notably to facilitate their sophisticated engagement designs.

We are happy to offer this two-day workshop in Vancouver, June 6-7, 2017. Please call our course registrar, Valerie, at 613-837-5890, for more information and to register. You can also register by completing the registration form here and submitting it by fax or email.

This workshop deals with the challenges of being the decision-maker and facilitator. Topics include:

• Understanding the conflicting roles of being decision-maker (content expert) and facilitator (process expert)
• Establishing process authority, in order to get things done
• Planning for success (setting objectives and developing detailed agendas)
• Building rapport and creating a positive space for understanding and collaboration
• Defining, anticipating and managing perceptual risk, conflict, and even outrage
• Managing the process for collaboration and decision-making
• Using strategies to deal with difficult situations and high emotions
• Understanding and using group dynamics as a facilitation tool
• Supporting deliberation and consensus building
• Adding to your facilitator’s toolkit several facilitation techniques you can adapt, or improvise,  to suit your situation
• Managing engagement projects (mapping the decision, identifying opportunities and risks, and managing the work)
• Being a reflective practitioner and developing strategies for continuous growth

Why is the course important? Many individuals who are responsible for planning and implementing engagements on behalf of their organizations are asked to facilitate them as well. Facilitation skills, however, are very different from engagement planning and design skills – and they are absolutely critical to the success of engagement initiatives.

Afraid of the angry crowd? Many people are – some with good reason! This workshop is a very interactive, skill-building opportunity that helps P2 practitioners build and strengthen their facilitation skills, in order to ensure effective community and stakeholder engagements.

What does it cost? The tuition fee for this course is $675 + GST. All course materials are provided, including a course manual and morning “Coffee with Colleagues”.

What do our participants say about the Facilitating Engagement course?

“This course was a useful tool to enhance my facilitator skills when leading project teams. I left this course feeling empowered and more confident in leading groups toward meaningful decision-making.”

(Surrey, February 2017)

Coordinator, Special Initiatives/Projects, Vancouver

“Extremely knowledgeable presenter, greatly appreciated the personal stories. Provided excellent opportunities for practicing facilitation. Appreciated the open dialogue about what those practicing could do well.”

(Surrey, February 2017)

Director, Mental Health and Substance Use, Vancouver

“Very knowledgeable in public engagement and an excellent third-party facilitator that drills down to the issues to help with good decision making.”

(Calgary, October 2016)

Planner, Calgary

“Very powerful and useful! Already put some strategies in action.”

(Calgary, October 2016)

Language Specialist, Calgary

“Facilitation is certainly an art. I am very grateful to have attended this session. It has given me tools for my toolbox and confidence in my ability to work with my staff effectively. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.”

(Kelowna, October 2016)

ICU Manager, Kelowna

Where is it being held?  The workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre, 711 West Broadway – in the heart of the city, steps away from City Hall, great shopping, tempting food outlets, and highly accessible by public transit.

 

IAP2 Foundations Training Update

The next Engage Delaney public Foundations program is in Vancouver, May 29 – June 2, 2017. Limited space is available – register here. We also have courses coming up in Kelowna, Calgary and Toronto. Our full public IAP2 training schedule can be seen here.

Check out our new location: Kelowna – September 18-22, 2017. Kelowna is the perfect setting for this program. Think of it… building engagement skills and networking with colleagues in the heart of British Columbia’s spectacular wine country… a perfect pairing the week before the Fall Wine Festival! Register here.