(Delaney & Associates) Techniques for effective Public Participation (Toronto)

This two-day course provides an introduction to a range of practical tools and techniques used at all five levels of IAP2’s Public Participation Spectrum.

Participants try out and observe a number of specific techniques, including World Café, Interviews, Revolving Conversations, Citizens Jury, and Advisory Group. Course content includes overviews of many more tools and techniques, including over three dozen online and social media techniques.

The course is designed as a broad introduction and is suitable for beginning to intermediate level practitioners as well as those who want a review of basic group process techniques. Interactive exercises and practical tips are used to enliven the basic theory and to reinforce skills that participants can put to immediate use.

Participants learn how to create effective forums for dialogue and how to avoid the many problems encountered in traditional public meetings. Participants leave this module with a detailed student manual and a packet of IAP2 tip sheets offering practical advice for selecting, using and evaluating a broad range of public participation techniques.