Category Archives: NCDD projects

Listen to Confab Recording on All-America City Awards

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Last week we held our first co-hosted Confab call of 2019 with The National Civic League, who shared more about the All-America City Awards! We were joined by 35 participants to learn more about this prestigious award and requirements for how a city can be eligible to win. This was a particularly timely call, as applications for the 2019 AAC Awards are being accepted until March 6th. That deadline is approaching quickly so we encourage you to listen to the recording to learn more, share this announcement with your networks, and consider organizing your city to apply!

On the call, we were joined by NCL’s Program Director Rebecca Trout and two representatives, Jordan Moore of Las Vegas, NV and Renae Madison of Decatur, GA -both from previous award-winning All-America Cities. Over 500 cities have been awarded the All-America City Award over the last 70 years. Every year, NCL awards the cities who are leveraging innovative civic engagement practices in order to create change on the local level. The focus of this year’s theme is on, “creating healthy communities through inclusive civic engagement” and the award will be given to the cities with projects that promote more equitable health practices and better overall health in the community. Click here to learn more about the award, resources, and where to apply.

The call was an opportunity to hear directly from past recipients of the award and how it has impacted each of their communities. Both shared the projects their cities highlighted for the award, the preparation required, how their teams coordinated logistics, and the overall deep engagement required with each community throughout the whole experience. Jordan, who works for the City of Las Vegas, shared with us the experience of applying for the AAC award and how this process has led to a greater feeling of pride in the city and increased draw for new residents and businesses. We also heard from Renae who works for the City of Decatur and how the award process was a great time for the community to build deeper relationships with each other and with other cities passionate about engaging their communities. The award and the accompanying conference (where the award is announced) work to elevate the powerful community engagement work going on across the country and celebrate those cities best in service to their communities.

We were live tweeting during the call and here are some of our favorite quotes from the Confab:

  • NCL is looking for the cities with programs that are innovative and working to address the real challenges in their city.
  • One thing that surprised me was how welcoming and open everyone was, they didn’t treat it as a competition… communities were so open to sharing and exchanging what works, what was challenging
  • [The AAC awards] is a time to celebrate and connect with other communities doing similar work and it’s an opportunity to learn from different communities.
  • This award attracts new citizens and new businesses. Because Vegas has a reputation for not being a place to live, this [award] helps show that it is a liveable city.
  • This process [of applying for the AAC Award] is unlike any award I’ve ever seen. The amount of transparency and the engagement needed was a lot, and was so worth it.

Confab bubble image

We want to thank our friends at the National Civic League for co-hosting this call with us! Thank you to Rebecca, Jordan, Renae, and 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!

Creating Visuals that Inspire Real-Time Conversation

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We are thrilled to share the following piece written by Lydia Hooper on the powerful way that graphic recordings can both capture a conversation in real time, and as folks saw first hand at NCDD2018, can be a motivator of conversation as well. We were fortunate to work with Lydia during the 8th National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation in Downtown Denver this last November (view her work here!) and she helped create and facilitate an interactive graphic recording project over the course of the three days. She describes it more in the post below…

By Lydia Hooper

How many conversations have you had this week about something you saw, on TV or happening in front if you? Vision is the primary way we sense and experience our world, and we are social beings who process information with others. We can easily leverage these tendencies if we want to inspire specific conversations in specific moments.

The conventional way of doing so is using presentation slides or videos to introduce or explain important topics. These visual forms, however, emphasize what is important from the perspective of the presenter. They do not necessarily offer opportunities to capture what a larger group of people thinks or feels.

Visuals that can break this norm are known as graphic recordings. Graphic recordings are visuals that capture conversation as it is happening in real time. By doing so they are able to help us literally see what is being said and thereby process this information in different ways.

There is a third way that can ensure both that many people are able to collectively create a meaningful visual and that the meaning is specifically tied to a clear objective. These visuals, which do not yet have a single term associated with them, are typically templates that evolve as the result of participation. Creating them requires little technology nor aesthetic skills, but it does require use of a thoughtful design process.

I recently had the pleasure of creating a visual of this type for the 2018 National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation conference. Here are the basic stages of design, their main elements, and how I experienced them for this project in particular.

  1. Empathize. There are two sides of this coin, both of which are important for planning appropriately. First, think about the audience or group the visual will engage: What kind of support do they need to think, feel, and/or act in ways that help them reach their individual goals? Now, consider the conveners’ or facilitators’ needs: What would help them reach collective goals, whether those be to build relations or to accomplish tasks? For this example, conference organizers were quickly able to articulate their desire to deepen conversation related to their partnership with the White Privilege Symposium. After some discussion they also identified that attendees may have a need to extend dialogue about related topics beyond individual sessions and contribute ideas perhaps anonymously.
  2. Create. A clear understanding of goals and needs is what informs what the visual will look like and how participants will engage with it. At this stage, collaborators work to develop main themes or questions as well as what specific words would be best to use. The purpose of this stage is to design a template that is incredibly clear and that invites active engagement. Conference organizers used a basic sketch of this template to solicit feedback from key stakeholders, in which is crucial for ensuring these purposes are fulfilled. Then I created the visual on a very large (four by eight foot) piece of paper that we planned to place in a highly visible location.
  3. Engage. During the previous stage decisions were made about how exactly ideas will be shared. These decisions will determine to what extent the visual will or will not require any degree of facilitation. In this case, we’d decided on a mix of both: attendees would be able to mark different options with stickers on their own and I would engage those who visited me during the showcase and capture those conversations on the template as well. I appreciated this approach because it allowed attendees to get a quick “big picture” idea of their fellow attendees perspectives and it also allowed them to learn from the individual insights that were captured. In my experience, this stage, like the previous one, is somewhat experimental, especially since some people will test the limits of any creative license you give them while others will be confused or even paralyzed by such an interruption in group norms.

The key thing to keep in mind for these visuals is that, unlike other visuals perhaps, the product or outcome matters less than the fact that group members are being offered an opportunity to participate in a shared experience and to collectively make meaning. Because they are nontraditional, these visuals also provide space for intentional conversations to occur in unexpected ways.

In the co-creation of this example visual, NCDD conference attendees made it abundantly clear how they feel power and privilege impacts them, their work, and the field. They reflected on familiar ideas, posed new questions, and, if nothing else, were heard.

Lydia Hooper is a creative who collaborates to communicate about complexity and create culture change. She is the creator of the 40 day listening challenge. To learn more and download her free ebook Using Visuals to Support Collaborative Work, please visit www.lydiahooper.com.

NCDD Confab with NCL and the Weekly Roundup!

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We have a special announcement to add to the list of great events happening over the next week! On Wednesday February 13th, we are co-hosting our next NCDD Confab call with the National Civic League. This free call will be an opportunity to learn more about the All-American City Awards, hear from past awardees, and learn how to win this prestigious award. We encourage you to check these webinars happening earlier in the week from NCDD member orgs, National Issues Forums Institute, New Directions Collaborative, Living Room Conversations, International Associate for Public Participation, and National Civic League.

Do you have a webinar or other 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!

Online Roundup: the February NCDD-NCL Confab, NIFI, New Directions, Living Room Conversations, IAP2, National Civic League

National Issues Forums Institute – February CGA Moderator Training

Tues, Feb 5th and Weds, Feb 6th
9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 pm Eastern

Join this workshop on how to moderate a Common Ground for Action (CGA) deliberative forum.
Part one of the workshop is: Tuesday February 5th @ 12:30p ET/9:30am PDT; Part two is February 6th @ 12:30p ET/9:30am PDT. Please plan to attend both sessions.

In session one (February 5th) we will participate in our own CGA forum to get the participant experience. We will debrief when we meet again on Wednesday Feb 6th.

In session two (February 6th), 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. For this session, we will use Zoom.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/february-cga-moderator-training-workshop

New Directions Collaborative webinar  – Meetings That Do More

Wednesday, February 6
12 pm – 2 pm Eastern

Imagine leaving a meeting feeling inspired, energized by new ideas, with enhanced goodwill toward your colleagues and a shared sense of clarity on where to go next. In this interactive on-line workshop, you will learn practical tools for creating meetings that deliver multiple benefits. Key topics include:

  • How to clarify the strategic context and range of outcomes for a meeting
  • How to frame strategic questions for the group to explore
  • An introduction to, and experience of, participatory meeting methods that can also work on-line
  • How to structure an agenda with samples of agenda designs

The workshop will be held on Zoom video conferencing where you will experience how to host effective meetings virtually, including with small group conversations. You will receive several handouts full of resources and guidance to help you design and facilitate future meetings.

Beth Tener of New Directions Collaborative will facilitate, sharing methods she has practiced in work with over 150 organizations and collaborative initiatives, concerning socially responsible business, sustainability, local food systems, education, climate action, racial equity, and transportation.

This workshop is the first in a series. You can attend one or the series.

Workshop fee is $70. Please click below to register.

If this fee is a barrier to participating, please contact Beth at btener@ndcollaborative.com – discounts are available to make this accessible to all interested.

REGISTER: www.ndcollaborative.com/events/

Living Room Conversations webinar – Free Speech, Fighting Words, and Violence

Wednesday, February 6th
4:30-6 pm Pacific, 4-5:30 pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Free Speech, Fighting Words, & Violence. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • How do we protect free speech and ensure public safety despite ongoing threats of violence?
  • Have you had a personal experience where free speech was inhibited? Or have you ever felt harmed by the speech of others?
  • How do we decide what our collective, social morality is? What is the federal government’s role?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket so someone on the waitlist may attend.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. The conversation host is Beth R.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-free-speech-fighting-words-and-violence-2/

Living Room Conversations webinar – Status & Privilege

Thursday, February 7th
2-3:30 pm Pacific, 5-7:30 pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Status & Privilege. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • What are the privileges of your status?
  • What do you value and how is that connected to your status or privilege?
  • How does status, or lack of status, affect your sense of personal dignity? How have you noticed it impacting others?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. Lewis will be hosting.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-status-privilege-4/

IAP2 Monthly Webinar – Large Scale P2 for Large Scale Projects

Tuesday, February 12th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Revamping an entire country’s criminal justice system … building an energy pipeline through 10 counties … huge scenarios with the potential to disrupt thousands – millions – of lives. In both cases, the proponents recognized the many ways people would be affected, and determined to engage the public at every stage, in order to achieve the best results all around.

In Canada, the Federal Department of Justice received over 10,000 contributions in a three-month period on the question, “How would you change our criminal justice system to better serve Canadians?” Two months after the public dialogue ended, the government announced a series of changes to the system that addressed some of the concerns raised in that dialogue.

In the USA, Williams Energy and Outreach Experts launched a huge public engagement campaign surrounding the building of the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. Since ten counties in Eastern Pennsylvania were in the path of the pipeline, Williams set out to make sure all interests were considered and addressed; dozens of route changes were made as a result of the consultations, and numerous grassroots organizations were part of the conversation.

IAP2 Members: Free
Non-IAP2 Members: $50

REGISTER: www.iap2canada.ca/event-3093140

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar –  Leveraging Education to Achieve Equity and Improve Futures

Wednesday, February 13th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn more about how two All-America Cities are utilizing education programs to achieve equity and improve economic and community futures.

Dillon Delvo, Executive Director, of Little Manila Rising in Stockton, CA will discuss Us History, an ethnic studies-based after school program that was wildly popular and has been incorporated into the local school district’s curriculum. Mark Pumphrey, Director of Libraries, in El Paso, TX will talk about the public library’s reimagined approach to adult education and economic development.

Us History- Stockton, CA:
In Stockton, like many cities, the legacies, histories, contributions and cultures of people of color have frequently been forgotten and marginalized. To combat this problem, in 2016, the Little Manila Rising started the ethnic studies-based “Us History” after school program. The goal was: “Putting ‘us’ back into U.S. History.” The program met once a week through the 2016-2017 school year and focused on Mexican American, African American, and Filipino American histories and cultures.

The program included discussions of the Chicano Movement, Black Feminist Theory, redlining, issues facing the undocumented community, among other topics. In April 2017, the Stockton school district discussed adopting Ethnic Studies as an elective. “Us History” students attended the meeting and spoke about what Ethnic Studies meant to them and what it could mean for their community if it was part of their school’s curriculum.

Career and Adult Education Opportunities- El Paso, TX:
Through its public libraries, the City of El Paso is working to provide basic educational and entrepreneurial services to traditionally underserved communities. Technology tools are available for business use, including copy machines with faxing, printing, and scanning capabilities, sound equipment, microphones, headphones, telephones and a SmartScreen accessible during all library hours of operation. Alternative work spaces are made available in library auditoriums, atriums, conference rooms and other spaces. The goals of these programs and service enhancements are to support the economic development efforts of the City of El Paso, give emerging workforces places to engage their customers and to sharpen their business and entrepreneurial skills and improve the quality of life of residents by providing skills and training.

REGISTER: www.eventbrite.com/e/aac-promising-practices-webinar-addressing-addiction-on-a-community-wide-level-tickets-53746857297

NCDD Confab Co-Hosted with National Civic League on the All-America City Awards

Confab bubble imageWednesday, February 13th
12 pm Pacific, 3 pm Eastern

This free call will offer space to learn more about the award, hear from past awardees, and ask questions. The award deadline is March 6th, so make sure you take advantage of this opportunity and register today to secure your spot on the call!

Since 1949, the National Civic League has recognized and celebrated the best in American civic innovation with the All-America City Award. The Award, bestowed yearly on 10 communities (more than 500 in all) recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronger connections among residents, businesses and nonprofit and government leaders. The 2019 All-America City theme is “Creating Healthy Communities Through Inclusive Civic Engagement”. The 2019 All-America City Award is focused on celebrating examples of civic engagement practices that advance health equity in local communities.

Representatives from the award-winning city, Las Vegas, NV will join us on the call to speak about their experiences winning the All-America City Award in 2018. Las Vegas was recognized as an All-America City because they provide residents, stakeholders, staff and elected officials with a collective vision for a future of income equality and economic mobility, building programs and services that remove barriers and address challenges faced by their most vulnerable youth.

REGISTER: http://ncdd.org/29019

Another Fantastic D&D Online Event Roundup

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There is a great variety of webinars and online events happening in the D&D world that we don’t want you to miss out on! Last week we mentioned, NCDDer Chris Santos-Lang has an upcoming webinar on making research transparent that we encourage you to check out. As well as, webinars from NCDD member orgs, MetroQuest, Bridge Alliance, Living Room Conversations, National Issues Forums Institute, and New Directions Collaborative!

Do you have a webinar or other 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!

Online Roundup: MetroQuest, Bridge Alliance, CSA’s Ethics Working Group, Living Room Conversations, NIFI, New Directions

MetroQuest webinar – “Public Engagement at All Scales | CMAP’s Winning Recipe”

Wednesday, January 30th
11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central | 2 pm Eastern (1 hour)
Educational Credit Available (APA AICP CM)
Complimentary (FREE)

For the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, award-winning comprehensive plans involve public engagement at all scales, collaboration with 284 communities, and a Local Technical Assistance program that’s admired nationally. Join us January 30th to get inspired!

CMAP Deputy Executive Director of Planning Stephane Phifer, Associate Outreach Planner Katanya Raby, and Senior Planner Lindsay Bayley will take you inside their local approach to online engagement for OnTo2050 – their comprehensive regional plan to improve quality of life and economic prosperity for 8.5 million people.

Public feedback was essential to exploring alternative futures for innovative transportation, climate change, walkable communities, a transformed economy, and constrained resources. You’ll learn how CMAP used a multi-phased approach to online engagement for a variety of local plans, including the downtown Aurora Master Plan.

Attend this complimentary 1-hour webinar to explore effective ways to:

  • Engage inclusively to build inclusive plans
  • Uncover the ideas, hopes, and concerns of residents
  • Take a multi-phase approach to online engagement
  • Think both locally and regionally for collaborative planning

This webinar will include a live Q&A session to help you prepare for 2019. Bring your public engagement questions for Stephane, Katanya, Lindsay, and Dave Biggs, Chief Engagement Officer at MetroQuest.

REGISTER: http://go.metroquest.com/Public-Engagement-at-All-Scales-CMAPs-Winning-Recipe.html

Bridge Alliance webinar – BridgeUSA Peer Learning Session – Achieving Diversity: An Example *this webinar is for Bridge Alliance members only – learn more here

Wednesday, January 30th
12 pm Pacific, 3 pm Eastern

Manu Meel will discuss how the Bridge Alliance and its members can achieve greater diversity in the revitalization movement. Specifically, he will present on:

  1. BridgeUSA’s lack of diverse leadership.
  2. The importance of diversity.
  3. How BridgeUSA is prioritizing diversity within its organization.
  4. What lessons other Bridge Alliance organizations can draw from its example.

We are very excited to host this event for Bridge Alliance member organizations through Zoom Video Conference, and we hope you will be able to join us.

If you wish to attend this event, please RSVP by January 24th.

RSVP: www.bridgealliancefund.us/bridgeusa_peer_learning_session

Ethics Working Group of the Citizen Science Association webinar – How to Make Your Research Transparent
* shared via NCDD member Chris Santos-Lang

Thursday, January 31st
9-10 am Pacific, 12-1 pm Eastern

A Webinar from CSA’s Ethics Working Group, presented by Chris Santos-Lang (Ethics Working Group Co-Chair)

This webinar is a practical how-to demonstrating some of the latest technologies developed to satisfy the transparency principles in the European Citizen Science Association’s Ten Principles of Citizen Science and the DIYbio Codes of Ethics. It will demonstrate two free solutions as examples: One is the Open Science Framework and the other is a homespun mixture of Google Drive, Google Docs, and FigShare. Both solutions leverage PubPeer, Creative Commons licenses, and research standards. This webinar also introduces the “APRICOT” mnemonic to map the range of transparency failures, and discusses the concerns that drive current negotiations between transparency and privacy.

About Chris: Chris Santos-Lang co-chairs the Ethics Working Group of the Citizen Science Association. He applies citizen science to ethics (e.g. studying moral psychology, machine ethics, and the sociology and political science of ethics).

If you experience any issues in registration, please email: info@citizenscience.org

REGISTER: https://citizenscience.member365.com/public/event/details/78a40bcdbcf4cbe1486b57996f0434fc336d9953/1

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

Thursday, January 31st
This event begins at 1pm (PT); 2pm (MT); 3pm (CT); 4pm (ET)

Join us for 60 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 to 12 people 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 video conferencing. A link to join the conversation will be sent to participants by Thurs 10am (PT) / 1pm (ET).

Questions and RSVP to Mary@LivingRoomConversations.org

Living Room Conversations webinar – Mental Health

Thursday, January 31st
1:30-3 pm Pacific, 4:30-6 pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Mental Health. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • What experiences in your life, your work or your family inform your thinking about mental health?
  • Is mental health an important issue in your community, and if so, why?
  • In your experience, how are mental health issues affecting young people? (If you are a young person, how do mental health issues affect you and your peers?)

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket so someone on the waitlist may attend.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. The conversation host is Lewis G.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-mental-health-2/

National Issues Forums Institute – “A House Divided: Issue Guide Moderator Training

Friday, February 1st
9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 pm Eastern

Join us on Friday February 1st at 12:30p Eastern/9:30am Pacific time for an online workshop on how to moderate a NIF forum using the new issue guide on politics in America, “A House Divided: How Do We Get The Political System We Want? What Would We Have To Give Up To Get It?”

We will discuss each of the three options in depth, outline key deliberative questions you as the moderator could ask of participants to encourage quality dialogue, as well as ways to help your participants reflect on this controversial topic. We will also discuss the upcoming A Public Voice program NIFI collaboratively holds each year in Washington DC to share with policymakers how people are thinking about wicked issues. There will be additional time for any questions you may have about how to host a forum, how to encourage students to participate, and tips and hacks for moderating face-to-face and online with Common Ground for Action.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/house-divided-issue-guide-moderator-training

Living Room Conversations webinar – Status & Privilege

Friday, February 1st
2-3:30 pm Pacific, 5-6:30 pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Status & Privilege. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • What status do you enjoy? Education, wealth, gender, race, etc?
  • What are the privileges of your status?
  • What do you value and how is that connected to your status or privilege?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket so someone on the waitlist may attend.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. The conversation host is Shay M.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-status-privilege-3/

Living Room Conversations webinar – Women and Political Leadership

Monday, February 4th
1-2:30 pm Pacific, 4-5:30 pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Women & Political Leadership. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • Do you believe that having women in political leadership provides a different kind of voice? Why or why not?
  • Describe a powerful woman politician’s leadership moment you’ve experienced.
  • Are there issues around women’s political leadership that concern you?
  • What is your hope or aspiration for women in politics?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket so someone on the waitlist may attend.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. The conversation host is Steve F.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-women-and-political-leadership-3/

Bridge Alliance #DemocracyChat [on Twitter]

Tuesday, February 5th
5 – 7 pm Eastern

On February 5th, @BrdgAllianceUS will ask supporters four questions about civic engagement. The event, titled #DemocracyChat, will give you and anybody else who is interested in the revitalization field the opportunity to connect with Bridge Alliance leaders and become part of the conversation. So make sure to follow @BrdgAllianceUS and use the hashtag #DemocracyChat once the questions are revealed next Tuesday.

New Directions Collaborative webinar  – Meetings That Do More

Wednesday, February 6
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT

Imagine leaving a meeting feeling inspired, energized by new ideas, with enhanced goodwill toward your colleagues and a shared sense of clarity on where to go next. In this interactive on-line workshop, you will learn practical tools for creating meetings that deliver multiple benefits. Key topics include:

  • How to clarify the strategic context and range of outcomes for a meeting
  • How to frame strategic questions for the group to explore
  • An introduction to, and experience of, participatory meeting methods that can also work on-line
  • How to structure an agenda with samples of agenda designs

The workshop will be held on Zoom video conferencing where you will experience how to host effective meetings virtually, including with small group conversations. You will receive several handouts full of resources and guidance to help you design and facilitate future meetings.

Beth Tener of New Directions Collaborative will facilitate, sharing methods she has practiced in work with over 150 organizations and collaborative initiatives, concerning socially responsible business, sustainability, local food systems, education, climate action, racial equity, and transportation.

This workshop is the first in a series. You can attend one or the series.

Workshop fee is $70. Please click below to register.

If this fee is a barrier to participating, please contact Beth at btener@ndcollaborative.com – discounts are available to make this accessible to all interested.

REGISTER: www.ndcollaborative.com/events/

Living Room Conversations webinar – Free Speech, Fighting Words, and Violence

Wednesday, February 6th
4:30-6 pm Pacific, 4-5:30 pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Free Speech, Fighting Words, & Violence. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • How do we protect free speech and ensure public safety despite ongoing threats of violence?
  • Have you had a personal experience where free speech was inhibited? Or have you ever felt harmed by the speech of others?
  • How do we decide what our collective, social morality is? What is the federal government’s role?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket so someone on the waitlist may attend.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. The conversation host is Beth R.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-free-speech-fighting-words-and-violence-2/

Thank You to Susan Stuart Clark!

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After five years on the NCDD Board of Directors, Susan Stuart Clark in exiting her role to focus on new priorities. The NCDD Staff and Board want to extend our gratitude and appreciation for Susan’s work to help support and sustain NCDD. Susan has been a key contributor to NCDD Conference planning over the years (including before her role on the Board), and as a board member she was a leader in growing and sustaining membership. She is also a huge proponent of libraries as hubs for engagement, and was a helpful sounding board for NCDD Staff in our work to introduce librarians to D&D. We’ll miss getting to work with her on a regular basis!

In case you’re not familiar, Susan is the founder of Common Knowledge Group, an organization with the mission of exploring and demonstrating more inclusive and innovative approaches to achieving sustainable social change. She works with state and local government agencies, nonprofits, foundations and businesses, often facilitating multi-sector collaboratives.  New insights and possibilities generated by dialogue are the core of the work.  Susan and her colleagues gravitate to projects that debunk the myth that the public is apathetic, that identify common ground on contentious issues and discover new resources hidden in plain sight in our communities. Check out their work at www.ckgroup.org.

We wish Susan the best of luck with her important work. We look forward to watching what’s to come, and sharing this work with the NCDD community. Thanks again for your years of service to the Coalition!

via GIPHY

Don’t Miss Today’s Confab Call feat Senator Unger!

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NCDD is excited for today’s FREE Confab Call featuring West Virginia State Senator John Unger. The one-hour call takes place at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific. It’s going to be a great event – so make sure you register ASAP to secure your spot on the call!

Senator Unger is a major advocate for utilizing dialogue and deliberation to engage with constituents. Some of you may know him from the National Issues Forums Board of Directors, or have heard about his work in West Virginia already!

On this call, he will be sharing his most recent experience with using engagement practices while seeking reelection. He was just reelected this November in a race with a well-funded opponent, and attributes at least in part his willingness to engage with the communities he represents in these ways to his successful campaign.

John Unger has committed his life to being a public servant-leader and bringing together his many experiences in theology and public life. Unger is currently serving as a West Virginia state senator representing Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia. Unger was first elected to the West Virginia Senate in 1998 at the age of 28 – making him one of the youngest elected state senators in West Virginia history. He is currently serving his fifth four-year term and is the Senate Minority Whip. Also, Unger is currently the pastor of the three historic Harpers Ferry Civil War churches: St. John Lutheran Church, Bolivar United Methodist Church, and the priest of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Unger has also done extensive work relating to international humanitarian issues in Asia, India, and the Middle East.

During his Senate tenure, Unger lead to make West Virginia one of the first states in the nation to have universal early childhood education through the West Virginia Early Childhood Education Act. He combated child poverty and hunger with the Feed to Achieve Act. Senator Unger also sponsored the creation of the State Division of Energy, Farmland Protection Act, Water Resource Protection Act, anti-animal cruelty legislation, anti-litter legislation and numerous education bills.

This will be an engaging conversation on a timely topic in our politics. Don’t miss out – register for our call today!

About NCDD’s Confab Calls

Confab bubble imageNCDD’s Confab Calls are opportunities for members (and potential members) of NCDD to talk with and hear from innovators in our field about the work they’re doing and to connect with fellow members around shared interests. Membership in NCDD is encouraged but not required for participation. Confabs are free and open to all. Register today if you’d like to join us!

Online Roundup feat NIFI, MetroQuest, Living Room Conversations, and the Zehr Institute!

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As we get into the second week of January, the online events going on in the dialogue, deliberation, and engagement field are starting to ramp up. Below are events happening this week and a preview of some of the ones happening next week. Learn more about the Common Ground for Action deliberative online forums from NCDD member National Issues Forums Institute, and webinars from NCDD member orgs, MetroQuest and Living Room Conversations, and the Zehr Institute.

Do you have a webinar or other 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!

Online Roundup: NIFI, Living Room Conversations, Zehr Institute, MetroQuest

National Issues Forums Institute – January CGA Forum Series: Climate Choices

Tuesday, January 15th
1:30 pm Pacific, 4:30 pm Eastern

Please join us for a Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberative forum on January 15th @4:30pm ET/1:30pm PDT on Climate Choices: How Should We Meet The Challenges of a Warming Planet?

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: https://vimeo.com/99290801

If you haven’t had a chance to review the issue guide, you can find a downloadable PDF copy at the NIF website: https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/climate-choices

Also, if you’d like to watch the NIFI starter video, you can see it here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/climatechoices/172418880

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/january-cga-forum-series-climate-choices

Living Room Conversations webinar – Status & Privilege

Tuesday, January 15th
2-3:30 pm Pacific, 5-6:30pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Status & Privilege. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • What are the privileges of your status?
  • What do you value and how is that connected to your status or privilege?
  • How does status, or lack of status, affect your sense of personal dignity? How have you noticed it impacting others?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. Briscoe T will be hosting.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-status-privilege/

Living Room Conversations webinar – Tribalism 101: Next Door Strangers

Thursday, January 17th
11 am-12:30 pm Pacific, 2-3:30pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Tribalism. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • Name one or more groups you feel at home or strongly identify with (where you find a sense of belonging and/or feel stronger together)
  • What generalizations do you make about other groups? How do you evaluate or check the validity of your generalizations, if at all? How important is it to you that your generalizations are accurate?
  • Some groups come together based on sharing a common culture, vision, or enemy. What is the commonality for your group? What need does your group fulfill in your life?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation. Kathy & Mary will be hosting.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-tribalism-101-next-door-strangers/

Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice – “The Little Book of Racial Healing – A Virtual Book Launch”

Wednesday, January 23rd
1:30pm – 3pm Pacific, 4:30pm – 6pm Eastern
Guest: Jodie Geddes and Tom DeWolf
Host: Johonna Turner

Join authors Jodie Geddes and Thomas Norman DeWolf for this “virtual” book launch. This Little Book will be published by Skyhorse Publishers in January 2019. The authors will share the book’s genesis (hint: the seeds were planted at the RJ in Motion conferenceat Eastern Mennonite University in 2016). With restorative justice and trauma awareness principles at its foundation, Coming to the Table has grown from a gathering of two dozen people at EMU in 2006 to thousands of members across the United States today, including 32 Local Affiliate Groups meeting in communities in 12 different states.

Join the webinar for an engaging conversation of the content of the book, of Coming to the Table, and the high interest across the United States for truth-telling, liberation and transformation.

REGISTER: http://zehr-institute.org/webinars/little-book-racial-healing.html

MetroQuest webinar – “Public Engagement at All Scales | CMAP’s Winning Recipe”

Wednesday, January 30th
11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central | 2 pm Eastern (1 hour)
Educational Credit Available (APA AICP CM)
Complimentary (FREE)

For the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, award-winning comprehensive plans involve public engagement at all scales, collaboration with 284 communities, and a Local Technical Assistance program that’s admired nationally. Join us January 30th to get inspired!

CMAP Deputy Executive Director of Planning Stephane Phifer, Associate Outreach Planner Katanya Raby, and Senior Planner Lindsay Bayley will take you inside their local approach to online engagement for OnTo2050 – their comprehensive regional plan to improve quality of life and economic prosperity for 8.5 million people.

Public feedback was essential to exploring alternative futures for innovative transportation, climate change, walkable communities, a transformed economy, and constrained resources. You’ll learn how CMAP used a multi-phased approach to online engagement for a variety of local plans, including the downtown Aurora Master Plan.

Attend this complimentary 1-hour webinar to explore effective ways to:

  • Engage inclusively to build inclusive plans
  • Uncover the ideas, hopes, and concerns of residents
  • Take a multi-phase approach to online engagement
  • Think both locally and regionally for collaborative planning

This webinar will include a live Q&A session to help you prepare for 2019. Bring your public engagement questions for Stephane, Katanya, Lindsay, and Dave Biggs, Chief Engagement Officer at MetroQuest.

REGISTER: http://go.metroquest.com/Public-Engagement-at-All-Scales-CMAPs-Winning-Recipe.html

THANK YOU to our Year-End Fundraiser Champions!

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Our sincerest appreciation to everyone who donated, renewed their membership, or joined NCDD during our End-of-Year Fund Drive. With all of your support, we were able to raise $8,800 to help support this amazing network of innovators! Thank you so much to all who contributed and we are thrilled to use this to drive NCDD into 2019. We have a lot of exciting ideas in store that we hope to implement and we have the following champions to thank!!

Please join us in offering a deep and immensely grateful THANK YOU to our Fund Drive contributors!

Contributed $500:
Ellen Mooney
Michael Shannon

Contributed $250 or more:
Susan Stuart Clark
Simone Talma Flowers
Rosa Zubizarreta

Contributed $100-$200:
Roger Bernier
Linda Ellinor
Chandra Erlendson
Matt Farley
Michael Freedman
Mary Gelinas
Les Ihara
Sam Kaner
Caroline Lee
Evelyn Thornton
Henry Williams

Contributed $75:
Barbara Bacon
Lisa Beutler
John Britt
Russ Charvonia
Carol Chetkovich
Glen Cotten
Leslie Dashew
Kyla Epstein
Kathy Hagen
Renee Heath
Peggy Holman
Kim Hyshka
Ken Jaray
Rachel Eryn Kalish
Daniel Kemmis
Malka Kopell
Suzanne Lamoureux
Karen Lest
Susan Partnow
Meagan Picard
Charles Pillsbury
Raquel Ramos
Sandor Schuman
Anne Selcer
Laura Shapiro
Gail Stone
Lisa Pytlik Zillig

Contributed $50:
David Chrislip
Todd Davies
Kara Dillard
Arlot Hall
Oliver Johnson
Lorelei Kelly
John Lande
Caroline Lee
Lenny Lind
Mark Poshak

Contributed $20 or more:
Carolyne Virginia Ashton
Cody Ostenson

Your contributions mean so much to NCDD and our staff! Thank you for your continued support of our network and its work!

Congratulations to the Winners of Our Giveaways!

Thank you to everyone who contributed over the last two weeks to our End-of-the-Year Fundraiser! Those who contributed $50 or more were entered to win one of our amazing giveaways. The winners are listed below and will be contacted shortly to receive their prize!

  • A Copy of The Reunited States of America: How We Can Bridge the Partisan Divide: Sandor Schuman, Lorelei Kelly, Matt Farley, Sam Kaner, Lenny Lind
  • Free registration for NCDD Organizational Member Essential Partners’ Dialogue Across Differences workshop: Raquel Ramos
  • Essential Partners’ Nuts and Bolts Guide: Rosa Zubizarreta, Susan Stuart Clark, Evelyn Thornton
  • D&D Care Package from Sandy: Roger Bernier
  • D&D Care Package from Courtney: Karen Lest
  • Goody Bag for Organizing Freaks from Sandy: Caroline Lee
  • NCDD notebooks: Anne Selcer, Michael Freedman, Linda Ellinor, Oliver Johnson, John Lande

Remember, although the fund drive is officially over, you can always support NCDD at any time by giving a donation, joining as an NCDD member or renewing your membership by clicking here. Some benefits of being an NCDD member include: sharing content on the NCDD blog and having access to other members-only opportunities (read the full list here), being listed in the member map/directory, and discounts on NCDD events and with our partners (listed here). For a full list of member benefits and to join our thriving network of practitioners and innovators, click here!

Thank you again for your support, and here’s to a great New Year!

Online Roundup feat Nat’l Issues Forums Institute & more!

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In an effort to continue to bring you even more D&D events, we will be expanding the weekly webinar round-ups to include any online events! New additions this week include Common Ground for Action deliberative online forums from NCDD member National Issues Forums Institute, and webinars from NCDD partner, National Civic League, and member org, Living Room Conversations.

Do you have a webinar or other 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!

Online Roundup: NIFI, National Civic League and Living Room Conversations

National Issues Forums Institute – January CGA Forum Series: What Should We Do about the Opioid Epidemic?

Wednesday, January 9th
5 pm Pacific, 8 pm Eastern

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:https://vimeo.com/99290801

If you haven’t had a chance to review the issue guide, you can find a downloadable PDF copy at the NIF website.: https://www.nifi.org/es/issue-guide/opioid-epidemic

Please also watch the starter video before joining the forum: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/opioidepidemic

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/january-cga-forum-series-what-should-we-do-about-opioid-epidemic

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – “Addressing Addiction on a Community-Wide Level”

Thursday, January 10th
9 am Pacific, 12 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn more about how two communities address addiction

Two communities will discuss their local intervention programs to address drug and/or alcohol abuse. Beaverton, OR will discuss their B-SOBR program and Hamilton County, OH will overview their Hamilton County Heroin Coalition.

B-SOBR Program- Beaverton, OR:
Faced with a burgeoning number of DUII citations, the Beaverton Municipal Court launched the B-SOBR program in 2011. B-SOBR, the first evidence-based practice (EBP) DUII court in Oregon, is designed to treat individuals whose drinking and drug use is beyond their control but who continue to drive motor vehicles. B-SOBR participants agree to strict conditions in exchange for remaining out of jail, including alcohol and drug treatment, regular reports to court, regular communication with a Case Manager, sobriety and urine tests, wearing an alcohol monitoring bracelet, committing to Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar program, a search for employment, and random check-ins from Beaverton police officers. With a potential probation period that could last up to 60 months, the B-SOBR program hopes to have participants build a solid foundation in recovery during their time in the program.

Hamilton County Heroin Coalition- Hamilton County, OH:
The Hamilton County Heroin Coalition provides countywide leadership and solutions to address the heroin and opiate epidemic both immediately and in the long-term. The coalition is committed to assisting residents and neighbors with the emergency support that they need, as well as working to prevent the spread of drug use in youth before it begins. Through collaboration between public health officials, law enforcement, prevention experts and treatment providers, the coalition can make an impact on this pressing public health and public safety issue.

REGISTER: www.eventbrite.com/e/aac-promising-practices-webinar-addressing-addiction-on-a-community-wide-level-tickets-53746857297

Living Room Conversations webinar – Relationships First

Thursday, January 10th
2-3:30 pm Pacific, 5-6:30pm Eastern

Join us for a free online (using Zoom) Living Room Conversation on the topic of Relationships First. Please see the conversation guide for this topic. Some of the questions explored include:

  • Have you ever seen or been in a conversation where people were not listening to each other? How did that turn out?
  • Have you ever taken a position or voiced an idea that was very different from a group you are part of? How did that feel? Or have you ever decided against speaking out because it just wasn’t worth the repercussions?
  • When have you used respect and listening to resolve a problem? Did it work?

You will need a device with a webcam to participate (preferably a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone).

Please only sign up for a place in this conversation if you are 100% certain that you can join – and thank you – we have many folks waiting to have Living Room Conversations and hope to have 100% attendance. If you need to cancel please return to Eventbrite to cancel your ticket.

A link to join the conversation and additional details will be sent to you by no later than the day before the conversation.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/online-living-room-conversation-relationships-first-3/

Register ASAP for January Confab feat Senator Unger!

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NCDD is excited to announce our January Confab Call featuring West Virginia Senator John Unger! This FREE call will take place Wednesday, January 16th from 1-2pm Eastern/10-11am Pacific. Make sure you register today to secure your spot!

On the call, Senator Unger will discuss the integral role of public engagement in his work as a state senator. He will talk with us about how he has been using dialogue and deliberation to engage with constituents in his district, and how he attributes that to his recent reelection bid against a well-funded opponent.

John Unger has committed his life to being a public servant-leader and bringing together his many experiences in theology and public life. Unger is currently serving as a West Virginia state senator representing Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia. Unger was first elected to the West Virginia Senate in 1998 at the age of 28 – making him one of the youngest elected state senators in West Virginia history. He is currently serving his fifth four-year term and is the Senate Minority Whip. Also, Unger is currently the pastor of the three historic Harpers Ferry Civil War churches: St. John Lutheran Church, Bolivar United Methodist Church, and the priest of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Unger has also done extensive work relating to international humanitarian issues in Asia, India, and the Middle East.

During his Senate tenure, Unger lead to make West Virginia one of the first states in the nation to have universal early childhood education through the West Virginia Early Childhood Education Act. He combated child poverty and hunger with the Feed to Achieve Act. Senator Unger also sponsored the creation of the State Division of Energy, Farmland Protection Act, Water Resource Protection Act, anti-animal cruelty legislation, anti-litter legislation and numerous education bills.

This will be an engaging conversation on a timely topic in our politics. Don’t miss out – register for our call today!

About NCDD’s Confab Calls

Confab bubble imageNCDD’s Confab Calls are opportunities for members (and potential members) of NCDD to talk with and hear from innovators in our field about the work they’re doing and to connect with fellow members around shared interests. Membership in NCDD is encouraged but not required for participation. Confabs are free and open to all. Register today if you’d like to join us!