2020 Virtual Skills Symposium: Deliberative Dialogue for Polarized Issues: Designing for Public Learning, Listening & Making Recommendations

Learn to cultivate informed and thoughtful public discussion in this age of polarized debate. In this course you’ll learn techniques to help participants learn about an issue, create space for in-depth deliberation and generate detailed feedback on public policy options. We’ll explore three popular methods for dialogue-based public deliberation on public policy issues: Citizen Juries, the 21st-Century Town Hall, and Deliberative Polling. You’ll have the opportunity to develop discussion questions, consider key agenda elements for deliberative meetings, as well as discuss outreach strategies to involve diverse participants.

Participants completing this course can:

• Begin to design meetings that emphasize dialogue and deliberation among participants
• Draft powerful discussion questions that solicit focused participant input
• Describe approaches for supporting participant learning
• Identify and address barriers to participation
• Explain various approaches for participant recruitment that is demographically representative of communities most impacted by the issue
• Apply aspects of deliberative dialogue methods to your own work

Recommended Experience Level:  Intermediate

PLEASE NOTE: International IAP2 members require a code to register. Please contact info@iap2canada.ca to obtain it.

Please note that scheduling online training is very different from face-to-face. This online course will be offered in two, three and a half hour segments.

Just like the face-to-face Skills Symposium, we expect all participants to attend all sessions listed in the event.

Note that the session times are Central Saskatchewan/Mountain Time.

— Cancellation and Substitution policy —

Course Outline

Trainer(s): Susanna Haas Lyons, M.A.

Susanna Haas Lyons, M.A., is a civic engagement specialist. Bridging online and face-to-face methods, she has worked for over 15-years on large and complex engagement projects across North America. Susanna designs participation strategies, facilitates complex meetings, and provides training for better conversations between decision-makers and those most impacted by the issue. Susanna is a judge for IAP2 Canada’s annual Core Values Awards, which recognize excellence and innovation in public participation. susannahaaslyons.com