Category Archives: educational opportunities

Weds Webinar Roundup Ft MetroQuest – Register ASAP

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This morning at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern, NCDD member organization MetroQuest is hosting the webinar “Transit Plans to LRTPs – MDOT’s Formula for Engaging 1000s ” that we encourage you to check out!

Here are the upcoming D&D online events happening over the next few weeks, including NCDD sponsor org The Courageous Leadership Project and partner org National Civic League, NCDD member orgs National Issues Forums Institute and Living Room Conversations, as well as, from the  International Association of Facilitators (IAF), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) and the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice.

NCDD’s online D&D event roundup is a weekly compilation of the upcoming events happening in the digital world related to dialogue, deliberation, civic tech, engagement work, and more! Do you have a webinar or other digital event coming up that you’d like to share with the NCDD network? Please let us know in the comments section below or by emailing me at keiva[at]ncdd[dot]org, because we’d love to add it to the list!

Upcoming Online D&D Events – From Our Sponsors & Partners

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, November 13th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

Some conversations are hard to have. Fear and discomfort build in your body and you avoid and procrastinate or pretend everything is fine. Sometimes you rush in with urgency, wanting to smooth things over, fix them, and make them better. Sometimes you go to battle stations, positioning the conversation so you have a higher chance of being on the “winning” side. NONE OF THIS WORKS. Instead, it usually makes a hard conversation harder; more divided, polarized, and disconnected from others. The more people involved, the harder the conversation can be. I believe that brave, honest conversations are how we solve the problems we face in our world – together.

In this webinar, we will cover: What is a Brave, Honest Conversation™? Why have one? What can change because of a brave, honest conversation? How do you have one? What do you need to think about and do? How do you prepare yourself for a brave, honest conversation?

REGISTER: www.bravelylead.com/shop/freewebinarbhc

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – Engaging your Community Outside of City Hall

Wednesday, November 13th
10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn how communities are engaging residents where they live, using unique and entertaining approaches. This webinar will highlight three community events that are giving residents entertaining opportunities for engaging with the city. Registrants will hear about events in Denver, CO, Decatur, GA and Mission, TX.

REGISTER: www.nationalcivicleague.org/resource-center/promising-practices/

From Our Members

MetroQuest – click here

  • Transit Plans to LRTPs – MDOT’s Formula for Engaging 1000s – Wednesday, October 30th at 11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Living Room Conversations – click here

  • Training (free): The Nuts & Bolts of Living Room Conversations – Thursday, October 31st at 2 pm Pacific, 5 pm Eastern
  • More Curious, Less Furious – Thursday, October 31st at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern
  • The Golden Rule in Politics – Sunday, November 3rd at 12 pm Pacific, 3 pm Eastern
  • 2020 Election: Concerns and Aspirations – Thursday, November 7th at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern
  • Status and Privilege – Thursday, November 14th at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern
  • Relationships Over Politics: Connecting with Friends and Family – Thursday, November 21st at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

National Issues Forums Institute – click here

  • November Cross-Campus CGA Forum Series on “A House Divided”: How Do We Get The Political System We Want? – Monday, November 4th to Saturday, November 9th at 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern
  • November CGA Forum Series: How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities? – Thursday, November 21st at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

From the Network

International Association for Facilitators – click here

  • Becoming a CPF with the IAF (Mandarin) – Wednesday, November 13th at  pm Pacific, 12 am Eastern

International City/County Management Association – click here

  • Having Difficult Conversations In Your Organization and Beyond – Thursday, November 14th at 9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 Eastern

Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) – click here

  • Education for sustainable Peace, an initiative by Aegis Trust – Friday, November 15th at 9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 Eastern

Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice – click here

  • Harm, Healing & Human Dignity: Catholics in the Restorative Justice Movement – Wednesday, November 20th at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Apply Now for Citizen University’s Civic Saturday Fellowship

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Citizen University is now accepting applications for the 2020 Civic Saturday Fellowship Program! Civic Saturdays bring together communities “to cultivate a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity”. This nine-month fellowship is an opportunity to receive a three-day training in hosting Civic Saturday and bring these skills back to their communities. Priority deadline is November 8th and final applications are due Wednesday, November 20th. You can read more in the announcement below and find the original information on the CU site here.

Civic Saturday Fellowship Program

Apply today for the 2020 Fellowship Cycle!

All around the country, we are facing a crisis in civic life – people are becoming more socially isolated, disconnected from a sense of common purpose, and cynical about their own ability to affect change. Enter Civic Saturday: a gathering that brings communities together to cultivate a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity. At Civic Saturday, people get to know one another, share a meaningful communal experience, and leave inspired to become more powerful, responsible citizens.

The Civic Saturday fellowship prepares motivated, local leaders (or, as we like to say, civic catalysts!) to start their own Civic Saturday gatherings in their home communities. In this nine-month fellowship, civic catalysts will attend the Civic Seminary, a three-day training in Seattle with Citizen University staff, and return home ready to create lasting impact in the civic life of their communities.

Fellows will explore the ethical foundations of their beliefs (and those of others), learn to craft and deliver catalytic sermons that draw on both the current day and civic traditions of our society, and ultimately establish Civic Saturday where they live and work.

The Civic Saturday fellowship was launched in 2018 with the goal of training motivated, local leaders to start their own Civic Saturday gatherings, and bring a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity into the civic life of their communities. In the first two years, over 50 civic catalysts have trained with Citizen University’s team in Seattle to learn how to create this unique, joyful gathering.

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW

Apply here and access the Fellowship Information Packet here.

Priority deadline: November 8, 2019
Application deadline: November 20, 2019

Training dates for this round will be on March 10-13, 2020 or April 21-24, 2020. Please read the information packet for complete details.
Applications for September and October training sessions will open in the spring of 2020.

You can find the original version of this announcement on Citizen University’s site at www.citizenuniversity.us/civicsaturdayfellowship/.

Wednesday Webinar Round-up Featuring NCDD Sponsor and More!

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Here are the upcoming D&D online events happening over the next few weeks, including NCDD sponsor org The Courageous Leadership Project  partner org National Civic League, NCDD member orgs  MetroQuest, National Issues Forums Institute and Living Room Conversations, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

NCDD’s online D&D event roundup is a weekly compilation of the upcoming events happening in the digital world related to dialogue, deliberation, civic tech, engagement work, and more! Do you have a webinar or other digital event coming up that you’d like to share with the NCDD network? Please let us know in the comments section below or by emailing me at keiva[at]ncdd[dot]org, because we’d love to add it to the list!

Upcoming Online D&D Events – From Our Sponsors & Partners

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, November 13th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

Some conversations are hard to have. Fear and discomfort build in your body and you avoid and procrastinate or pretend everything is fine. Sometimes you rush in with urgency, wanting to smooth things over, fix them, and make them better. Sometimes you go to battle stations, positioning the conversation so you have a higher chance of being on the “winning” side. NONE OF THIS WORKS. Instead, it usually makes a hard conversation harder; more divided, polarized, and disconnected from others. The more people involved, the harder the conversation can be. I believe that brave, honest conversations are how we solve the problems we face in our world – together.

In this webinar, we will cover: What is a Brave, Honest Conversation™? Why have one? What can change because of a brave, honest conversation? How do you have one? What do you need to think about and do? How do you prepare yourself for a brave, honest conversation?

REGISTER: www.bravelylead.com/shop/freewebinarbhc

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – Engaging your Community Outside of City Hall

Wednesday, November 13th
10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn how communities are engaging residents where they live, using unique and entertaining approaches. This webinar will highlight three community events that are giving residents entertaining opportunities for engaging with the city. Registrants will hear about events in Denver, CO, Decatur, GA and Mission, TX.

REGISTER: www.nationalcivicleague.org/resource-center/promising-practices/

From Our Members

MetroQuest – click here

  • Transit Plans to LRTPs – MDOT’s Formula for Engaging 1000s – Wednesday, October 30th at 11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Living Room Conversations – click here
90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

  • Guns & Responsibility – Tuesday, October 29th at 12 pm Pacific, 3 pm Eastern
  • More Curious, Less Furious – Thursday, October 31st at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern
  • 2020 Election: Concerns and Aspirations – Thursday, November 7th at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern
  • Status and Privilege – Thursday, November 14th at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

National Issues Forums Institute – click here

  • October CGA Forum on “A House Divided”: What Would We Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want? – Saturday, October 26th at 5 pm Pacific, 8 pm Eastern
  • November Cross-Campus CGA Forum Series on “A House Divided”: How Do We Get The Political System We Want? – Monday, November 4th to Saturday, November 9th at 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern
  • November CGA Forum Series: How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities? – Thursday, November 21st at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

From the Network

International Association for Facilitators – click here

  • Webinar: Becoming a CPF with the IAF – Thursday, October 24th at 4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern
  • Webinar: Becoming a CPF with the IAF (Mandarin) – Wednesday, November 13th at  pm Pacific, 12 am Eastern

International City/County Management Association – click here

  • Having Difficult Conversations In Your Organization and Beyond – Thursday, November 14th at 9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 Eastern

Microgrant Opportunity Available for Forum Moderators

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NCDD member organization, the National Issue Forums Institute recently announced a new microgrant opportunity from Net Impact to host a a forum around the NIFI issue guides, “A House Divided” or “A Nation in Debt”.  The $150 microgrant is available for forum moderators from accredited US-based higher education institutes until May 1, 2020. We encourage you to read the announcement below, find the original version on the NIFI blog here, and apply for the funding today!

Announcing the Net Impact Microgrant Program

Net Impact is excited to offer a micro grant of $150 to moderators* who host a forum using the “A House Divided” or “A Nation in Debt” issue guides.

To receive the funding, apply by May 1, 2020 and host a forum using either the A House Divided or the A Nation in Debt issue guides before June 30, 2020. Applicants will receive more detailed information about the micro grant program from Net Impact.

Apply Now

*Moderators must be affiliated with an accredited US-based college or university to be considered eligible for the micro grant.

The National Issues Forums partner, Net Impact is excited to offer this micro grant. Net Impact is a nonprofit that inspires and equips emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world. Net Impact’s programs help new leaders broaden their thinking, build their networks, and scale their impact beyond just individual actions. One stand-out Net Impact program, Up to Us, is a rapidly growing, nonpartisan movement of young people who recognize that when it comes to securing their future opportunities, they have no better advocates than themselves. Up to Us is the only nationwide, campus-based campaign focused on building a sustainable economic and fiscal future for America’s next generation.

Up to Us, an initiative of Net Impact and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, is a rapidly growing, nonpartisan movement of young people who recognize that when it comes to securing their economic and fiscal future, they have no better advocates than themselves.

You can read the original version of this announcement on the National Issue Forums Institute blog at www.nifi.org/en/announcing-net-impact-micro-grant-program.

Listen to Confab Recap with Purple Project for Democracy

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We recently hosted another installment of our NCDD Confab call series featuring the Purple Project for Democracy! On the call, we were joined by one of the key organizers for the movement, Bob Garfield, who shared more about Purple Project and how the dialogue and deliberation field can tap into the upcoming November launch. We encourage you to listen to the recording and contribute to the movement!

Purple is a non-partisan coalition, campaign and movement to rediscover and recommit to democratic values and institutions. It begins this November with a media and education campaign that will “illuminate and dramatize the many glories of American democracy.” Participants in this campaign will include media outlets, schools, libraries, and other organizations committed to sharing the message of the importance of democracy and our participation in it. Their vision is to gain visibility and build a movement for civic participation and democracy across differences, which then leads to increased action, including volunteering, voting, serving, and participating in civic life. As Bob shared on the call, “friends don’t let friends check out of the [democratic] process”.

Like any long-standing movement, this can only be done in collaboration with the powerful work already being done in the participatory democracy and D&D field. The Purple Project invites individuals and organizations doing work related to participatory democracy and civic engagement, to share events and publications with their growing network! There is an opportunity to co-brand events with Purple Project to help amplify this work on a much larger scale and leverage efforts in each other’s networks. By doing connecting with the Purple Project, you can further increase visibility for your own work and in turn, help further expand the Purple Project movement. You can learn more about the November launch effort here and on the Purple Project for Democracy site here!

Confab bubble image

We want to thank Bob Garfield of the Purple Project for joining us on the call to share more about this exciting cross-sector collaboration and to all the Confab participants for contributing to this conversation! We recorded the whole presentation in case you weren’t able to join us, which you can access by clicking here. To learn more about NCDD’s Confab Calls and hear recordings of others, visit www.ncdd.org/events/confabs.

Finally, we love holding these events and we want to continue to elevate the work of our field with Confab Calls and Tech Tuesdays. It is through your generous contributions to NCDD that we can keep doing this work! That’s why we want to encourage you to support NCDD by making a donation or becoming an NCDD member today (you can also renew your membership by clicking here). Thank you!

NIFI Holds Student-Focused CGA Forums Series in Nov.

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We wanted to share these upcoming opportunities with NCDD member org, National Issues Forums Institute, for students to dive deeper into the Common Ground for Action online forums. The CGA forums will focus on the NIFI issue guide, A House Divided: What Do We Have To Give Up To Get The Political System We Want?, as part of a series of week-long student-focused forums. You can read about the series below and find the original version on NIFI’s site here.

Join In Cross-Campus Online Forums in November, 2019 – National Week of Conversation

Registration is now available for the student-focused November 2019 National Week of Conversation Common Ground for Action (CGA) forum series. This idea is the brainchild of faculty from the National Issues Forums (NIF) network who wanted their undergrads to have a chance to deliberate with students from other universities so they could hear different voices. We’ve done this the past two years and each year the pool of students and universities gets larger and more diverse. I’m hoping more faculty and students will join us. Since the forums will happen during local and state election week, we’ll be deliberating using the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) issue guide on A House Divided: What Do We Have To Give Up To Get The Political System We Want?

Here’s how it works:

There are five forums scheduled during the week – one per day at various times.

Monday November 4th at 1pm ET/10a PT
Tuesday November 5th at 7p ET/4p PT
Thursday November 7th at 9a ET/6a PT
Friday November 8th at 3p ET/12p PT
Saturday November 9th at 7p ET/4p PT

We will be organizing registered students into forums manually so we can try to have as much campus diversity as possible. Please encourage your students to register using their university emails so we can maximize diversity.

You can direct your students to participate in a forum date of your choice or you can have them participate in a forum that best fits their schedule. The day before the forum, registered students will receive an email with their forum Join ID and a copy of the issue guide. Please (please, please, please!) encourage them to read the guide before their forum.

I hope to host as many of your students in a CGA deliberative forum as possible. Please send as many as you think would benefit from deliberating to this event!

Want to participate? Email Kara Dillard at kdillard@nifi.org for registration details.

You can read the original version of this information on the National Issues Forums Institute blog at www.nifi.org/en/join-cross-campus-online-forums-november-2019-national-week-conversation.

Register for Next Week’s Online Facilitation Unconference!

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The sixth Online Facilitation Unconference (OFU) is happening on Oct 7-13, 2019! This digital gathering is hosted by the Center for Applied Community Engagement LLC, and is a great opportunity for anyone interested in virtual facilitation – no previous experience needed! OFU is part of the International Facilitation Week and members of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) can receive a 30% discount! This global event is happening next week so make sure you register and get your tickets ASAP! Follow OFU on Twitter with the hashtag #OFU19 for more #FacWeek updates. You can read the announcement below for more info or find the original on the OFU Exchange site here.

Online Facilitation Unconference 2019

Welcome to the sixth Online Facilitation Unconference (OFU), the week-long international learning exchange exploring the art and practice of facilitating in virtual environments.

Join us on October 7-13, 2019. Tickets on sale now!

REGISTER TODAY!

Who should attend?

OFU aims to connect people from these three broad groups:

  • Facilitators
  • Practitioners from other fields whose work also includes facilitation
  • Technology providers

We welcome participants from all backgrounds and across all levels of expertise regarding facilitation and the use of online technology.

For example:

  • You are a senior facilitator who has just recently started to deliver your services in virtual settings. Do you have questions or roadblocks you’d like to discuss?
  • Or maybe you are already an expert in virtual facilitation. Are you currently exploring some cutting edge method and would like to try it out in a friendly, constructive environment?
  • Or maybe you work in an entirely different field (e.g., business management, education, the non-profit sector) and you are frequently tasked with leading productive online meetings or expect your staff to be able to so. Do you have insights you can share? Or are you looking for approaches to training that fit your needs?

What to expect?

OFU provides an opportunity for attendees to explore, share, learn, and connect with colleagues from around the world. We hope you will:

  • Explore a wide range of topics related to online facilitation
  • Find answers to questions or challenges you have encountered in your work
  • Discover new tools, methods, resources, etc.
  • Make new connections with colleagues from around the globe!
  • Come away with new energy and plenty of new ideas to try out next!

As is the nature of unconferences, our attendees are active participants who will create the agenda collaboratively based on their shared interests and needs. Yes, you will help shape what will be talked about!

Event timeline

  • October 7–9 – Join one of several live welcome sessions (each approximately 45 minutes long via videoconferencing) as well as several other pre-scheduled sessions. More details soon!
  • October 10–12 – Unconference sessions
  • October 13 – Room for spill-over sessions (if needed)
  • Later in October – Event follow-up

A few key things to note:

  • The Online Facilitation Unconference (OFU) is an annual learning exchange on the art and practice of facilitating in virtual environments. It is a community-driven event that brings together people from diverse backgrounds from all around the world whose work includes, or who otherwise have an interest in, facilitating in the virtual realm.
  • OFU is an event for newbies and experts alike. Whether you are a seasoned facilitator pro or a beginner, whether you are already highly skilled using technology for this work or still trying to figure out the possibilities – OFU provides a venue where you can ask and answer questions, share and solicit advice, discuss your latest project, challenge or idea, explore new tools, discover new tricks, and find like-minded colleagues.
  • Aside from a handful of pre-scheduled sessions, OFU is an unconference (an event where the participants co-create the agenda). OFU is a blank slate for you to pitch your ideas in collaboration with fellow attendees. The agenda will emerge based on your and everyone else’s needs and interests.
  • OFU is a not-for-profit event. It is important for us to keep the event open and accessible for everyone who is passionate about the topic. If you aren’t in a position to pay full price, please make use of our low-income options and encourage others to do the same.
  • Sometime in early September, we will announce a more detailed schedule that will specify the various main time slots during which the majority of unconference sessions are expected to be held. These time slots are optimized for trans-continental collaboration and sharing (Americas, Europe/Africa, and Asia/Australia). We highly encourage our session hosts to schedule their sessions within these designated time slots as much as possible so as to maximize global participation.
  • Session hosts are encouraged to record or otherwise document their sessions. Following each session, any available recordings or documentation will be posted to the OFU website in a timely manner.
  • OFU works best the more people contribute. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn and share about facilitation in virtual environments and bring along your friends and colleagues from around the world!

Learn more about the session offerings on the OFU Eventbrite site at www.eventbrite.com/e/online-facilitation-unconference-2019-registration-71022166211.

You can find the original version of this on the OFU site at www.ofuexchange.net/.

Wednesday Webinar Roundup with Courageous Leadership Project, NCL, and more!

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Here are the upcoming D&D online events happening over the next few weeks, including NCDD sponsor org The Courageous Leadership Project, NCDD member orgs National Civic League, National Issues Forums Institute and Living Room Conversations, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and the International Associate for Public Participation (IAP2).

NCDD’s online D&D event roundup is a weekly compilation of the upcoming events happening in the digital world related to dialogue, deliberation, civic tech, engagement work, and more! Do you have a webinar or other digital event coming up that you’d like to share with the NCDD network? Please let us know in the comments section below or by emailing me at keiva[at]ncdd[dot]org, because we’d love to add it to the list!

Upcoming Online D&D Events: The Courageous Leadership Project, National Civic League, Living Room Conversations, NIFI, IAF, IAP2

Living Room Conversations Training (free): The Nuts & Bolts of Living Room Conversations

Thursday, October 3rd
2 pm Pacific, 5 pm Eastern

Join us for 90 minutes online to learn about Living Room Conversations. We’ll cover what a Living Room Conversation is, why we have them, and everything you need to know to get started hosting and/or participating in Living Room Conversations. This training is not required for participating in our conversations – we simply offer it for people who want to learn more about the Living Room Conversations practice.

Space is limited so that we can offer a more interactive experience. Please only RSVP if you are 100% certain that you can attend. This training will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. A link to join the conversation will be sent to participants the day before the training.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/training-free-the-nuts-bolts-of-living-room-conversations-19-2/

Online Living Room Conversation: Relationships Over Politics – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Thursday, October 3rd
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Is it possible to use Living Room Conversations with our families and close friends? It is ultimately challenging, because family are more likely to break ‘host and guest’ social norms. The emotional stakes are higher, conversations are colored by long, deeply personal histories and it can feel easier to ‘take the gloves off’ and fight dirty, unconstrained by the politeness usually offered acquaintances. How might we hold the tension of our differences while working to repair connection and not further deepen division within our circle of family and friends?

All sorts of people tell us they want to use the skills they practice in Living Room Conversations to help restore connection with friends and family. So, let’s use a Living Room Conversation to talk about just that! This Living Room Conversation will help us listen and learn about where we have different opinions, along with shared ideas about how to best navigate time with family & friends (who may not share our view of the world). HERE is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/relationships-over-politics-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts-2/

Online Living Room Conversation: Race and Ethnicity – A Special Three-Part Series

Tuesday, October 8th
10:30 am Pacific, 1:30 pm Eastern

Check out this four-minute video from our first Race & Ethnicity Conversation Series to get a taste of this conversation! In this series of three conversations, participants explore the complexities of the concepts of Race, Ethnicity, and their impacts on people from all walks of life. We will cover new questions from the three Race & Ethnicity conversation guides found here. The following conversation series will occur on October 15th and 22nd.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/race-and-ethnicity-a-special-three-part-series/

IAP2 Monthly Webinar – 2019 IAP2 Projects Of The Year (USA & Canada)

Tuesday, October 8th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

We are excited to feature the two Core Values Award winners for Project of the Year.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) won the USA Project of the Year award for “PedPDX”. This project addresses discrepancies in pedestrian infrastructure around the Rose City, and involved people of a variety of different ethnic and social groups. One city council member referred to the public engagement process as the most robust and comprehensive he had ever seen.

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer used a variety of techniques and approaches in reviewing Canada’s Cancer Strategy, focusing on “underserviced” populations — people in remote areas, Indigenous people, new Canadians, LGBTQ people, for example — often don’t get the same level of cancer care and treatment that others do. The Partnership managed to bring these voices to the table and help re-design a cancer strategy that puts them on an equal footing.

REGISTER: https://iap2usa.org/event-3404391

International Association of Facilitators webinar – Becoming a CPF with the IAF

Tuesday, October 8th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

Making the decision to seek the IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) accreditation can be hard. Common questions people ask are What’s involved? How much time will it take? Will I meet the requirements? and What if I don’t pass? In response to strong interest from members we will be exploring these questions at a webinar with hosts that have years of experience as professional facilitators and as IAF Assessors.

REGISTER: www.iaf-world.org/site/events/webinars

International Association of Facilitators webinar – Knowing Me, Knowing You – Why do we do/say the things we do?

Wednesday, October 9th
10:30am Pacific, 1:30 pm Eastern

Remember building sandcastles at the beach? As soon as the structure reached a certain height, any amount of sand that we added on top fell to the sides. Why? The base was not wide enough to go any taller. The base or foundation determines the height of the sandcastle.

The same applies to the Altitude we want to reach in our lives. That base is determined by our Beliefs and Values. Becoming aware of what drives us and strengthening the same by conscious living makes our roles purposeful and meaningful. What we do and say shape the results, which in turn affect our reputation and credibility as a professional.

REGISTER: www.iaf-world.org/site/events/webinars

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, October 9th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

Some conversations are hard to have. Fear and discomfort build in your body and you avoid and procrastinate or pretend everything is fine. Sometimes you rush in with urgency, wanting to smooth things over, fix them, and make them better. Sometimes you go to battle stations, positioning the conversation so you have a higher chance of being on the “winning” side. NONE OF THIS WORKS. Instead, it usually makes a hard conversation harder; more divided, polarized, and disconnected from others. The more people involved, the harder the conversation can be. I believe that brave, honest conversations are how we solve the problems we face in our world – together.

In this webinar, we will cover: What is a Brave, Honest Conversation™? Why have one? What can change because of a brave, honest conversation? How do you have one? What do you need to think about and do? How do you prepare yourself for a brave, honest conversation?

REGISTER: www.bravelylead.com/events/bhcfreewebinar

October CGA Forum Series: A House Divided: What Would We Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want?

Friday, October 11th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Please join us for a Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberative forum on A House Divided: What Would We Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want? If you’ve never participated in a CGA forum, please watch the “How To Participate” video before joining. You can find the video link here. If you haven’t had a chance to review the issue guide, you can find a downloadable PDF copy at the NIF website here.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/october-cga-forum-series-house-divided-what-would-we-have-give-get-political-system-we-want

Online Living Room Conversation: Race and Ethnicity – A Special Three-Part Series

Tuesday, October 15th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

Check out this four-minute video from our first Race & Ethnicity Conversation Series to get a taste of this conversation! In this series of three conversations, participants explore the complexities of the concepts of Race, Ethnicity, and their impacts on people from all walks of life. We will cover new questions from the three Race & Ethnicity conversation guides found here. The following conversation series will occur on October 15th and 22nd.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/race-and-ethnicity-a-special-three-part-series/

October CGA Forum Series: A House Divided: What Would We Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want?

Tuesday, October 15th
1 pm Pacific, 4 pm Eastern

Please join us for a Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberative forum on Climate Choices: How Should We Meet the Challenges of a Warming Planet? If you haven’t had a chance to review the issue guide, you can find a downloadable PDF on the National Issues Forums Institute website here. If you’ve never participated in a CGA forum, please watch the “How To Participate” video before joining. You can find the video link here.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/october-cga-forum-series-house-divided-what-would-we-have-give-get-political-system-we-want

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – Leadership Academies: Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary

Wednesday, October 16th
10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern

This webinar will highlight two leadership academies that have evolved to offer a more innovative and advanced civic learning experience. Registrants will hear from the City of Wichita, KS and the City of El Paso, TX. Cindy Claycomb, a Council Member for the City of Wichita, KS, will discuss how the city transformed its Citizens Academy into a Civic Engagement Academy. Olivia Montalvo-Patrick, Interim Neighborhood Services Coordinator for the City of El Paso, TX, will discuss the city’s Neighborhood Leadership Academy and Advanced Leadership Training.

REGISTER: www.nationalcivicleague.org/resource-center/promising-practices/

Join the Launch of Harwood’s New Book – Stepping Forward

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NCDD member Rich Harwood of The Harwood Institute has an upcoming book coming out that you won’t want to miss the launch of on Tuesday, October 1st! From The Harwood Institute announcement…

In Stepping Forward, Rich Harwood provides a new and inspiring blueprint for how we can rediscover what we share in common and build upon it in a way that engenders authentic hope.

Register below to join Rich on October 1 at 1 PM ET to celebrate the official launch of Stepping Forward! In a special online event, Rich will be discussing how you can begin to put the principles outlined in this book into action.

The launch of his new book will also kick off the Stepping Forward Campaign! We encourage you to read more about the book and the campaign in the post below, and explore even more on The Harwood Institute site here.

A New Path Forward

Many of us are frustrated by the divisive nature of our public discourse, mistrust and broken promises. We lack hope that we can bridge our divides, come together and get things done.

Rich Harwood offers a new path forward. He argues that we don’t have to accept the divisions, gridlock and negativity happening in our country. He knows, from working in communities for more than 30 years, that we can rediscover what we share in common and actively build upon it.

Stepping Forward shows us how to channel our frustrations, energies, and aspirations to get on a more hopeful path. This book shows us how we can step forward to —

  • Turn Outward to see and hear each other again and afford every person human dignity
  • Rediscover what we share in common by focusing on our shared aspirations, even amid our real difference
  • Recognize we must tap into our innate capabilities to produce meaningful change
  • Forge a new shared responsibility to marshal community resources to solve problems and harness people’s yearning for genuine engagement
  • Create a new can-do narrative by focusing on civic parables that remind us that we can be actors, shapers and builders of our shared lives

To get the country moving in a better direction, these efforts must start in our local communities. Then we can restore our can-do spirit and faith in ourselves. You don’t need to wait. STEP FORWARD.

Stepping Forward Campaign Launches October 1!

A book tour asks you to listen. We’re asking you to step forward.

The Stepping Forward Campaign is a national call to action. Rich Harwood is embarking on a two-year campaign to speak about how we can put our communities and our country on a more hopeful path.

This campaign can help you:

  • Take a leading role in improving people’s lives and doing that work in a way that builds the community
  • Mobilize community leaders and others to take action and improve your community
  • Stop feeling stuck and provide a clear path to move forward
  • Build momentum towards positive, lasting change

The Stepping Forward Campaign launches on October 1, 2019. Be one of the first to host a campaign event and bring this important message to your community.

You can learn more about the Stepping Forward book and campaign on The Harwood Institute site at www.steppingforwardbook.org/#about-the-book-section.

Wednesday Webinar Roundup ft September Confab and Many More!

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As part of our Wednesday webinar roundup, we are excited to announce our September Confab call featuring Purple Project for Democracy. Purple is a non-partisan coalition, campaign and movement to rediscover and recommit to democratic values and institutions. Learn more about the opportunities for the dialogue and deliberation field to contribute to the November launch campaign and the next phases of this effort. This free call will be on Monday, September 30th from 1-2 pm Eastern, 10- 11 am Pacific. Register today so you don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!

Here are the upcoming D&D online events happening over the next few weeks, including NCDD sponsor org The Courageous Leadership Project, NCDD member org  National Issues Forums Institute and Living Room Conversations, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and the International Associate for Public Participation (IAP2).

NCDD’s online D&D event roundup is a weekly compilation of the upcoming events happening in the digital world related to dialogue, deliberation, civic tech, engagement work, and more! Do you have a webinar or other digital event coming up that you’d like to share with the NCDD network? Please let us know in the comments section below or by emailing me at keiva[at]ncdd[dot]org, because we’d love to add it to the list!

Upcoming Online D&D Events: Living Room Conversations, IAF, The Courageous Leadership Project, ICMA

September Confab about Purple Project for Democracy

Confab bubble image

Monday, September 30th
10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern

We are excited to announce our September Confab Call, featuring a new initiative that is preparing for  November launch – Purple Project for Democracy. Purple is a non-partisan coalition, campaign and movement to rediscover and recommit to democratic values and institutions.  The folks behind the project are building momentum for their November launch, and on this Confab we’ll learn more about how dialogue and deliberation can play a role in it.

Purple is aiming to help people recommit to democratic values, but also to stimulate civic engagement. During the month of November, Purple hopes to have local conversations which can help to stimulate the national effort. The hope of the organizers is that members of NCDD will participate in this effort by hosting conversations in their communities.

REGISTER: http://ncdd.org/30320

International Association of Facilitators webinar – The Power of Choice

Wednesday, September 25th
6:30 am Pacific, 9:30 am Eastern

By 2020, there will be five generations working side-by-side in the workplace. We are all different and unique, but with this comes different ways of working, approaches, mindsets, feelings, behaviors,  motivations and needs. This can lead to assumptions, misunderstandings, miscommunication, conflict and under-performance.  Building a culture of psychological safety, where everyone feels accepted and respected, allows everyone to work in harmony, makes the most of their differences and drives a sense of empowerment to achieve anything. In this webinar, we will explore the strength of working in a team that is diverse and inclusive. You will discover how to value difference to build connections that enable collaboration, healthy challenge and powerful outcomes towards common goals.

REGISTER: www.iaf-world.org/site/events/webinars

NIFI CGA forum: Future of Small Towns

Wednesday, September 25th
11:30 am Pacific, 2:30 pm Eastern

NIFI would like to invite you to participate in an online forum on the future of our small-town communities. These forums are a project of the German Marshall Fund alumni network, and are going on throughout the US and even in Europe. The results from these forums will be reported to a new generation of leaders focusing on urban/rural issues who will be making policies that directly affect our communities, our economies, our families and our day-to-day lives. This online forum is for women from rural communities and small towns.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/future-our-small-towns

September CGA Forum Series: Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence?

Wednesday, September 25th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Please join us for a Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberative forum on Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence? If you’ve never participated in a CGA forum, please watch the “How To Participate” video before joining. You can find the video link here. If you haven’t had a chance to review the issue guide, you can find a downloadable PDF copy at the NIF website here.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/september-cga-forum-series-safety-and-justice-how-should-communities-reduce-violence

International Association of Facilitators webinar – What facilitators can do in disaster situations? (English)

Thursday, September 26th
6:30 am Pacific, 9:30 am Eastern

In this webinar we will invite the participating colleagues to reflect together on different ways in which we can support communities that face situations of disasters or other crises, applying our knowledge and experience as professional facilitators. In addition, we will present the principles of the Model of psychosocial intervention in crises and disasters of the Global Facilitators Serving Communities – GFSC network. This Model, called Crisis – Change – Choice, has been successfully applied in many countries around the world, allowing to strengthen the resilience and autonomy of various types of communities, in response to different types of crises and disasters.

REGISTER:www.iaf-world.org/site/events/what-facilitators-can-do-disaster-situations-english

September CGA New Moderator Workshop

Thursday, September 26th
9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 pm Eastern

Join this workshop on how to moderate a Common Ground for Action (CGA) deliberative forum. This is a TWO DAY, TWO PART workshop. Part 1 is Wednesday September 25th at 7:00p ET/4:00pm PT; Part 2 is September 26th at 12:30p ET/9:30am PT. Please plan to attend both parts of this workshop.

In session one (Sept 25th) we will participate in our own CGA forum. In session two (Sept 26th), we will discuss how to set up a CGA, what the responsibilities of a CGA moderator are, and hacks and tricks for moderating. We will then work in partners to set up and moderate a forum. We will conclude with a questions and answers about how to integrate CGA into your practice, classroom, and/or community work.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/september-cga-new-moderator-workshop

September CGA Moderator Practice Sessions

Friday, September 27th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

This is an open practice session for new and seasoned Common Ground for Action online deliberation moderators. We will play around with features, workshop deliberative questions, and get practice moderating a robust online deliberative forum.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/september-cga-moderator-practice-sessions

Living Room Conversations Training (free): The Nuts & Bolts of Living Room Conversations

Thursday, October 3rd
2 pm Pacific, 5 pm Eastern

Join us for 90 minutes online to learn about Living Room Conversations. We’ll cover what a Living Room Conversation is, why we have them, and everything you need to know to get started hosting and/or participating in Living Room Conversations. This training is not required for participating in our conversations – we simply offer it for people who want to learn more about the Living Room Conversations practice.

Space is limited so that we can offer a more interactive experience. Please only RSVP if you are 100% certain that you can attend. This training will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. A link to join the conversation will be sent to participants the day before the training.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/training-free-the-nuts-bolts-of-living-room-conversations-19-2/

Online Living Room Conversation: Relationships Over Politics – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Thursday, October 3rd
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Is it possible to use Living Room Conversations with our families and close friends? It is ultimately challenging, because family are more likely to break ‘host and guest’ social norms. The emotional stakes are higher, conversations are colored by long, deeply personal histories and it can feel easier to ‘take the gloves off’ and fight dirty, unconstrained by the politeness usually offered acquaintances. How might we hold the tension of our differences while working to repair connection and not further deepen division within our circle of family and friends?

All sorts of people tell us they want to use the skills they practice in Living Room Conversations to help restore connection with friends and family. So, let’s use a Living Room Conversation to talk about just that! This Living Room Conversation will help us listen and learn about where we have different opinions, along with shared ideas about how to best navigate time with family & friends (who may not share our view of the world). HERE is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/relationships-over-politics-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts-2/

Online Living Room Conversation: Race and Ethnicity – A Special Three-Part Series

Tuesday, October 8th
10:30 am Pacific, 1:30 pm Eastern

Check out this four-minute video from our first Race & Ethnicity Conversation Series to get a taste of this conversation! In this series of three conversations, participants explore the complexities of the concepts of Race, Ethnicity, and their impacts on people from all walks of life. We will cover new questions from the three Race & Ethnicity conversation guides found here. The following conversation series will occur on October 15th and 22nd.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/race-and-ethnicity-a-special-three-part-series/

IAP2 Monthly Webinar – 2019 IAP2 Projects Of The Year (USA & Canada)

Tuesday, October 8th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

We are excited to feature the two Core Values Award winners for Project of the Year.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) won the USA Project of the Year award for “PedPDX”. This project addresses discrepancies in pedestrian infrastructure around the Rose City, and involved people of a variety of different ethnic and social groups. One city council member referred to the public engagement process as the most robust and comprehensive he had ever seen.

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer used a variety of techniques and approaches in reviewing Canada’s Cancer Strategy, focusing on “underserviced” populations — people in remote areas, Indigenous people, new Canadians, LGBTQ people, for example — often don’t get the same level of cancer care and treatment that others do. The Partnership managed to bring these voices to the table and help re-design a cancer strategy that puts them on an equal footing.

REGISTER: https://iap2usa.org/event-3404391

International Association of Facilitators webinar – Becoming a CPF with the IAF

Tuesday, October 8th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

Making the decision to seek the IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) accreditation can be hard. Common questions people ask are What’s involved? How much time will it take? Will I meet the requirements? and What if I don’t pass? In response to strong interest from members we will be exploring these questions at a webinar with hosts that have years of experience as professional facilitators and as IAF Assessors.

REGISTER: www.iaf-world.org/site/events/webinars

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, October 9th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

Some conversations are hard to have. Fear and discomfort build in your body and you avoid and procrastinate or pretend everything is fine. Sometimes you rush in with urgency, wanting to smooth things over, fix them, and make them better. Sometimes you go to battle stations, positioning the conversation so you have a higher chance of being on the “winning” side. NONE OF THIS WORKS. Instead, it usually makes a hard conversation harder; more divided, polarized, and disconnected from others. The more people involved, the harder the conversation can be. I believe that brave, honest conversations are how we solve the problems we face in our world – together.

In this webinar, we will cover: What is a Brave, Honest Conversation™? Why have one? What can change because of a brave, honest conversation? How do you have one? What do you need to think about and do? How do you prepare yourself for a brave, honest conversation?

REGISTER: www.bravelylead.com/events/bhcfreewebinar