What is the course overview?
This course explores the fundamentals required to design and implement forums for genuine and productive dialogue. Effective dialogue, relationship-building, and shared learning are the centerpiece of public participation meetings or events under CERCLA. The class will discuss ways to move beyond the traditional public meeting to find approaches and formats that work. Creating effective forums for dialogue and learning require an understanding of how people communicate and the environments in which real dialogue can take place.

Who should take this course?
This course is recommended for EPA staff or managers (e.g., CICs, RPMs, OSCs) who are responsible for holding public meetings and events and want to explore more effective ways of engaging their stakeholders. There are no prerequisites for this course.

What are the course learning objectives?
Participants who complete this course will gain skills on how to:

• Reinvent the public meeting;
• Identify and use the characteristics of effective dialogue;
• Establish an environment for effective dialogue;
• Implement the five principles of effective meetings; and
• Implement the basics of meeting management and facilitation.

What are the logistics?
This one-day course is a highly interactive mix of facilitated discussion, video, and small and larger group discussion. The course is designed to provide time for staff to work together on planning upcoming public meetings and events. Recommended course size is 12-30 participants.

Doug Sarno of The Participation Company (TPC) teaches this course. He developed the course and is a civil engineer with more than 30 years of experience in Superfund and environmental cleanup. He has devoted much of his career to improving environmental decision-making and effectively engaging diverse groups of stakeholders in complex and controversial decisions.

TPC offers a wide range of courses on public participation, collaboration, communication, conflict resolution and facilitation tailored specifically to EPA and the Superfund program. These courses are designed as stand-alone events or combined in many configurations to create a customized program of instruction for groups or teams. All training is highly interactive and includes a wide variety of real-life lessons. Focus is on providing real, practical skills that EPA program managers, communicators and community relations professionals will apply immediately.

Is there available background material?

• Participants receive a detailed course workbook.

Previous Events (click to view/hide)

Live Online Class, Internet Based Event Details   April 28, 2021 - April 29, 2021