Register for Next Week’s Online Facilitation Unconference!

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!

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.

REGISTERwww.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.

REGISTERwww.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/

Wednesday Webinar Roundup ft September Confab and Many More!

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 PacificRegister 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.

REGISTERwww.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.

REGISTERwww.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

NCDD Podcast on International Day of Listening on Sept. 19

Have you listened to someone today? How about someone that you disagree with? If not, why not? Sometimes we focus more on speaking than on listening, though both are crucial to dialogue and deliberation. That is why NCDD is restarting their podcast series with a feature on the fourth annual International Listening Day taking place on Thursday, September 19th. The International Day of Listening (https://internationaldayoflistening.com/)  evolved in response to our modern-day “listening crisis” as one of many ways to remind us all of how to engage with one another even when we disagree, and even encourage us to actively listen precisely when we disagree.

The guests are Sheila Bentley and Jean Francios Mathieu, members of the International Listening Association (https://www.listen.org/) and designers of the International Day of Listening day will speak with NCDD intern, Annie Rappeport. They will share the origin story for the initiative, movements taking place all over the world and how everyone can participate around this year’s theme to “Be Bold and Listen for Common Ground”.

You can listen to this podcast episode by searching “NCDD Podcast” on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) and Google Play, and on Soundcloud at https://soundcloud.com/ncddpodcast/international-day-of-listening.

More about The International Day of Listening (IDL)

The IDL is a one-day event that is sponsored by the International Listening Association (ILA) and was initiated in 2016. The IDL takes place the third Thursday of September each year. The day promotes a variety of events from one-on-one conversations with friends and family to business or community meetings to governments and their citizens talking about mutual concerns. This year’s IDL theme is based on listening first for similarities – what we have in common. That’s what we mean by “listen for common ground”. Once two people have found common ground and priorities (and are surprised by the number of them), it is far easier to discuss differences, points of disagreement or conflict, in a mature and respectful way.

Wednesday Webinar Roundup ft Courageous Leadership Project, LRC, IAF, and ICMA

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 Living Room Conversations, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and 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: Living Room Conversations, IAF, The Courageous Leadership Project, ICMA

Online Living Room Conversation: Social Equity – 90-Minute Online Conversation

Thursday, September 5th
8:30 am Pacific, 11:30 am Eastern

Social equity can be defined as a commitment to promote fair, just, and equitable recognition of basic needs of all residents and the total community, and a commitment to diligently advocate for the provision of those needs to all residents and the total community. This conversation focuses on our own personal and community experiences with the idea of social equity and our beliefs that there is a common good in the recognition and acceptance of this idea. HERE is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/living-room-conversation-social-equity/

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

Thursday, September 5th
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-17/

Online Living Room Conversation: Abortion – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts

Thursday, September 5th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Abortion is seldom a topic that we speak about in casual conversation. More often we hear abortion talked about by news media, politicians or, more rarely, depicted in books, television shows or movies. In pretty much any situation, abortion elicits an intense emotional response. In the U.S. the conversation on abortion generally centers on whether you are “for” or “against” it and very rarely explores personal narratives, what we believe about abortion as a decision, what the procedure entails, or how abortion affects an individual’s reproductive and mental health. Engaging in an honest and vulnerable conversation on abortion provides an opportunity to explore the depths of our beliefs about sex, life, death, agency and parenting. It gets at the very root of what we care deeply for in life and opens the door to finding potential common ground. Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/abortion-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

International Association of Facilitators webinar – Use of Language to Create Inclusiveness in Groups

Monday, September 9th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

This session will explore the power of language and how it has the ability to create an inclusive environment, or unconsciously exclude people from hearing what you have to say. Expand your facilitation skills through building self-awareness of the things you communicate to others and how you can begin to rephrase your thoughts and words. Annette Denny from The University of Waterloo in Canada will lead the session.

REGISTERwww.iaf-world.org/site/events/webinars

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, September 11th
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

International City/County Management Association (ICMA) webinar – Grappling with Gnarly Issues-How Local Government Can Help

Wednesday, September 11th
10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern

Communities want their local governments to take action on tough issues, sometimes even when a local government may not be the primary entity responsible. Learn about successful efforts by local governments to tackle gnarly issues like environmental challenges, opioids, and homelessness. Gain insights and approaches you can use to address the tough issues your agency faces.

REGISTER: https://icma.org/events/free-webinar-grappling-gnarly-issues-how-local-government-can-help

Online Living Room Conversation: Gender – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts

Thursday, September 12th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

What’s the big deal about gender? In this conversation, we will explore biological sex, gender identity, and gender expression to better understand how these concepts impact your life and the lives of others. Here is the conversation guide. We will use the following definitions:

  • Biological Sex- refers to the biological anatomy of an individual’s reproductive system, and secondary sex
    characteristics (male, female, intersex, etc.)
  • Gender Identity- an individual’s concept/identity of themselves (man, woman, trans, gender non conforming, etc.)
  • Gender Expression- how individuals present themselves (masculine, feminine, androgynous, etc.)

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/gender-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

September CGA Forum Series: How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities?

Saturday, September 14th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Please join us for a Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberative forum on How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities? We’ll discuss this issue by considering the actions and drawbacks for three options: (1) reduce the threat of mass shootings; (2) equip people to defend themselves; and (3) root out violence in society. f you haven’t had a chance to review the issue guide, you can find a downloadable PDF copy at the NIF website: www.nifi.org/es/issue-guide/issue-advisory-how-can-we-stop-mass-shootings-our-communities-2016

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/september-cga-forum-series-how-can-we-stop-mass-shootings-our-communities

Upcoming Webinars Related to Dialogue & Deliberation

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 Living Room Conversations, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and 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: Living Room Conversations, IAF, The Courageous Leadership Project, ICMA

Online Living Room Conversation: Social Equity – 90-Minute Online Conversation

Thursday, September 5th
8:30 am Pacific, 11:30 am Eastern

Social equity can be defined as a commitment to promote fair, just, and equitable recognition of basic needs of all residents and the total community, and a commitment to diligently advocate for the provision of those needs to all residents and the total community. This conversation focuses on our own personal and community experiences with the idea of social equity and our beliefs that there is a common good in the recognition and acceptance of this idea. HERE is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/living-room-conversation-social-equity/

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

Thursday, September 5th
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-17/

Online Living Room Conversation: Abortion – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts

Thursday, September 5th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Abortion is seldom a topic that we speak about in casual conversation. More often we hear abortion talked about by news media, politicians or, more rarely, depicted in books, television shows or movies. In pretty much any situation, abortion elicits an intense emotional response. In the U.S. the conversation on abortion generally centers on whether you are “for” or “against” it and very rarely explores personal narratives, what we believe about abortion as a decision, what the procedure entails, or how abortion affects an individual’s reproductive and mental health. Engaging in an honest and vulnerable conversation on abortion provides an opportunity to explore the depths of our beliefs about sex, life, death, agency and parenting. It gets at the very root of what we care deeply for in life and opens the door to finding potential common ground. Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/abortion-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

International Association of Facilitators webinar – Use of Language to Create Inclusiveness in Groups

Monday, September 9th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

This session will explore the power of language and how it has the ability to create an inclusive environment, or unconsciously exclude people from hearing what you have to say. Expand your facilitation skills through building self-awareness of the things you communicate to others and how you can begin to rephrase your thoughts and words. Annette Denny from The University of Waterloo in Canada will lead the session.

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

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, September 11th
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

International City/County Management Association (ICMA) webinar – Grappling with Gnarly Issues-How Local Government Can Help

Wednesday, September 11th
10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern

Communities want their local governments to take action on tough issues, sometimes even when a local government may not be the primary entity responsible. Learn about successful efforts by local governments to tackle gnarly issues like environmental challenges, opioids, and homelessness. Gain insights and approaches you can use to address the tough issues your agency faces.

REGISTER: https://icma.org/events/free-webinar-grappling-gnarly-issues-how-local-government-can-help

Several Orgs Featured for our Wednesday Webinar Roundup

Our wonderful NCDD sponsor org The Courageous Leadership Project has another one of their webinars happening in just a few hours that we encourage you to check out! This week’s list of upcoming D&D webinar events also includes NCDD member orgs Living Room Conversations, National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI), and National Civic League, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).

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, IAP2, IAF

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, August 21st
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

International Association of Facilitators webinar – Global Conversations

Two times available:

    • Wednesday, August 21st at 3 am Pacific, 6 am Eastern
    • Thursday, August 22nd at 11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Come and join the conversation and share your experiences with fellow facilitators from around the world. Using an innovative online platform you’ll be able to interact with colleagues and get to know them. Bring your preferred beverage to the conversation!

REGISTER: www.iaf-world.org/site/events/iaf-global-conversations

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

Thursday, August 22nd
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-15/

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

Thursday, August 22nd
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.

REGISTERwww.iaf-world.org/site/events/webinar-becoming-cpf-iaf-11

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

Thursday, August 22nd
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Homelessness in America is a problem that reminds us daily of our failure to be our best. How do we explain to children the presence of hungry, cold, neglected and often mentally ill men women and children on our streets in the midst of plenty? If we gather neighbors, business owners, health care workers, police, government officials, homeless people and their families in conversation might we build trust and begin to explore opportunities to do better? Conversations are admittedly only a starting point, but isn’t it time to start? Here is the conversation guide

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/homelessness-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

August CGA Forum Series: How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities?

Saturday, August 24th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

Please join us for a Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberative forum on Saturday August 24th @ 6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT on How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities? We’ll discuss this issue by considering the actions and drawbacks for three options: (1) reduce the threat of mass shootings; (2) equip people to defend themselves; and (3) root out violence in society.

REGISTER: www.nifi.org/en/events/august-cga-forum-series-how-can-we-stop-mass-shootings-our-communities

Online Living Room Conversation: Communicating with Care – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Monday, August 26th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

We may want to communicate with others in such a way that we gain knowledge and bridge divides, but those conversations don’t always come naturally. Most of us struggle to self-evaluate our communication skills and we might be unaware of words and actions that shut down healthy dialogue when discussing divisive issues. In this conversation, we will actively share and explore what works and what doesn’t, and we will reflect on ways that we can improve our interactions with others. Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/communicating-with-care-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-qa-w-hosts-2/

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – Improving Health and Fitness through Inclusive Community Challenges

Wednesday, August 28th
11:30 am Pacific, 2:30 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn how two of our 2019 All-America Cities are using community recreation challenges to improve health & fitness. Battle Creek, MI will tell us about Operation Fit, which is a healthy community initiative of Bronson Battle Creek, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, Regional Health Alliance, and the Battle Creek Family YMCA. The goal of Operation Fit is to decrease childhood obesity in Calhoun County.

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

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

Thursday, August 29th
2:30 pm Pacific, 5:30 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/webinar-becoming-cpf-iaf-11

Online Living Room Conversation: Peace Building – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Thursday, August 29th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

The US has in many ways always been a divided society, but what is causing fierce political, social and ethnic divides in the United States today? Hate crimes and hate groups are increasingly visible, and political leaders are using ethnic identity, socio-economic identity — and an “us v. them” mentality — to create fear and increase polarization. This increase in tribalism and ethnic protection (including Republican vs. Democrat as core identities), reflect core grievances at the heart of what drives violent conflict in many countries all over the world. How did we get here and what are the peacebuilding solutions for a country that has long been considered the world’s most stable democracy? Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/peace-building-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

Participatory Budgeting Project Launches Global PB Hub

We want to make sure folks in our network heard that NCDD member organization the Participatory Budgeting Project recently launched a new global PB hub! We’re excited for this effort which will connect PB practitioners and provide space to share resources, and further expand participatory budgeting across the world. You can read the announcement in the post below and find the original on the Participatory Budgeting Project’s blog here.


PBP is launching a new Global PB Hub!

We’re thrilled to announce that PBP is launching a new global hub for PB practitioners and advocates, thanks to a $560,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Global PB Hub will coordinate knowledge sharing, research, learning, and resource development for PB practitioners and advocates around the globe.

The PB Hub will build on the knowledge and expertise of implementers and supporters around the world. We will work with the PB community to map existing knowledge and to identify priorities for new PB research and resources. To start, we’re inviting PB implementers, advocates, and researchers to apply for the Hub’s Governance Board and Research Board.

Why do we need a Global PB Hub?

Over the past 30 years, PB has expanded to more than 7,000 cities across the globe, becoming the most widespread model of participatory democracy. PB leaders have generated a wealth of knowledge and expertise, but these resources are often inaccessible to local implementers and advocates. And despite PB’s global growth, local PB processes still face common challenges: limited guidance for implementers, labor-intensive coordination, empty top-down mandates, and slow implementation of winning projects.

These were the main findings of the PB Exchange, a  co-design workshop held in November 2018 that gathered experts and implementers from 21 countries to assess the challenges and opportunities of PB implementation. Based on the recommendations of the PB Exchange participants, the Hewlett Foundation dedicated a two year grant to pilot a global hub to coordinate PB knowledge and peer exchange around the world.

What will the Global PB Hub do?

PBP is honored to receive this grant and to host the PB Hub. This global effort aims to improve and expand PB around the world by addressing the common challenges and opportunities identified by PB implementers and advocates. Over the next two years, the PB Hub will:

  • Establish new communications and governance systems for the global PB community, including a global PB governance board.
  • Create an online library of PB research and resources, to consolidate, organize, and disseminate the most useful PB research, data, tools, and resources in an accessible format.
  • Convene a global PB research board to identify PB research priorities and kickoff new research addressing these priorities.
  • Identify PB implementers’ priorities for new resources and tools, and develop and disseminate new tools and resources that address these priorities.

Call for Applications

The PB Hub is calling PB implementers, advocates, and researchers around the globe to apply for its new Governance Board and Research Board. We’re looking for candidates eager to improve the quality and impacts of PB, by addressing key challenges and opportunities faced by PB implementers and supporters around the world.

The Governance Board is the high-level governance and decision-making body for the PB Hub. It is responsible for setting PB Hub strategy and policy, planning for its financial sustainability, and ensuring that it is carrying out its goals effectively. The board is also responsible for identifying priorities for new PB research and resources, with the broader PB community and the research board.

The Research Board coordinates global research on PB and its impacts. It is responsible for developing a global PB research agenda and supporting researchers in launching new studies that address research priorities.

The boards will meet up to six times a year, with most meetings via video but at least one multi-day in-person meeting. Board service is a volunteer position, but we will pay for travel costs for in-person meetings.

Please help grow PB around the world by applying to serve on a board or sharing with others who might be interested in serving on a board. Deadline: August 9, 2019.

We’re also hiring a paid intern to work on the PB Hub – apply here and indicate Hub interest in your letter.

We look forward to working with you to build stronger and more equitable democracy around the world!

You can read the original version of this announcement on the PBP site at www.participatorybudgeting.org/global_pb_hub_launch/.

Wednesday Roundup Ft Courageous Leadership Project, National Civic League, and More!

This week’s list of upcoming D&D webinar events has a great line-up including NCDD sponsor The Courageous Leadership Project, NCDD member orgs National Civic League and Living Room Conversations as well as, from the International Associate for Public Participation (IAP2) and International Association of Facilitators (IAF).

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, IAP2, IAF

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

Thursday, August 8th
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-14/

Online Living Room Conversation: Mental Health – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Thursday, August 8th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Most people agree that we want to reduce the stigma around mental health issues so that individuals and families are more inclined to seek help. Many people look to traditional western medicine for the primary answers to mental health problems. There is growing interest in exploring a wider variety of ways to support people facing mental health challenges. The value of meditation, exercise and other practices show great promise as we learn more and more about the plasticity of our brains. What does it mean to ‘get better’ from a mental health problems, and is it even possible? Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/mental-health-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

IAP2 Monthly Webinar: Victoria Encore – “Navigating The Culture Wars Through Thoughtful P2”

Tuesday, August 13th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Once again, we’re excited to present one of the session presentations at the 2018 IAP2 North American Conference, that attendees told us would make a good Learning Webinar. In this, John Godec MCP3, Debra Duerr and Wendy Green-Lowe CP3 of The Participation Company, and Doug Sarno MCP3 of Forum Facilitation Group discuss delving into understanding of human behavior, the battle for control, and toxic participants and how we approach these issues as P2 practitioners.

It’s never been easy, but to be successful these days, we need to adjust to a hyper political and partisan environment. This session will explore the key battles we face in designing and conducting successful participation. We’ll discuss creating a level playing field, creating trust and facilitating success: what are the obstacles, and what are our “big guns”?

REGISTER: https://iap2usa.org/event-3166256

Online Living Room Conversation: (NC residents only) Reconnecting Across Differences in North Carolina

Wednesday, August 14th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

North Carolinians feel that disconnection from each other is the biggest issue facing our state, and they want to do something about it. This trend was discovered by NC State’s Institute for Emerging Issues, and ReCONNECT NC is their initiative to address it through a series of conversations and events around the state. These conversations are designed to invite North Carolinians from different backgrounds and perspectives to spend time together in real and rich conversation in which all listen first to understand.

This specific video-based “Reconnecting Across Differences in North Carolina” helps kick off ReCONNECT NC Day in collaboration with Living Room Conversations. Our mutual goal for these conversations is to build understanding and relationships and identify opportunities to bridge divides in North Carolina.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/nc-residents-only-reconnecting-across-differences-in-north-carolina/

International Association of Facilitators webinar – ¿Qué pueden hacer los facilitadores en caso de desastre? (Español-Spanish)

Thursday, August 15th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

Este webinar, ofrecido gracias al apoyo de la organización Global Facilitators Serving Communities (GFSC). Facilitadores: Maria Francia Utard and Ximena Combariza.

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

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

Thursday, August 15th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Racist, sexist, homophobe, even nazi: these words have lost their power for many conservatives. They don’t believe that these words describe them. They experience this as name-calling – part of an ongoing effort to undermine people on the right who have different values. Latte drinking liberal, femi-nazi, elitist: these are a few of the words that are used to dismiss people on the left. So now we are caught in a culture war where we are all losing. Losing friends, losing family, losing the ability to solve problems in a way that respects and honors the needs of everyone affected. How do we change this dynamic? Is there a way for us to tap into the kindness and goodwill that we’ve seen in friends across the political spectrum? Here is the conversation guide.

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

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, August 21st
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

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

Thursday, August 22nd
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-15/

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

Thursday, August 22nd
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/webinar-becoming-cpf-iaf-11

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

Thursday, August 22nd
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Homelessness in America is a problem that reminds us daily of our failure to be our best. How do we explain to children the presence of hungry, cold, neglected and often mentally ill men women and children on our streets in the midst of plenty? If we gather neighbors, business owners, health care workers, police, government officials, homeless people and their families in conversation might we build trust and begin to explore opportunities to do better? Conversations are admittedly only a starting point, but isn’t it time to start? Here is the conversation guide

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/homelessness-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – Improving Health and Fitness through Inclusive Community Challenges

Wednesday, August 28th
11:30 am Pacific, 2:30 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn how two of our 2019 All-America Cities are using community recreation challenges to improve health & fitness. Battle Creek, MI will tell us about Operation Fit, which is a healthy community initiative of Bronson Battle Creek, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, Regional Health Alliance, and the Battle Creek Family YMCA. The goal of Operation Fit is to decrease childhood obesity in Calhoun County.

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

Wednesday Webinar Roundup on Dialogue & Deliberation!

If you are looking to strengthen some skills and/or have a little extra D&D goodness for the summer months, then check out this fantastic line-up of webinars coming up from the NCDD network. We encourage you to check out these events from NCDD sponsor The Courageous Leadership Project, NCDD member orgs Living Room Conversations and National Civic League, as well as, from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and 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, IAP2, The Courageous Leadership Project, National Civic League

Online Living Room Conversation: Entertainment & The Media – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Thursday, August 1st
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

The role and impact of our larger entertainment and media system has long been a source of lively discussion in America. Since the advent of the radio, then television, then cable, now internet — there have always been groups of people asking questions about what these advances in technology will mean for US life and what, if any, cautions or guidelines should be embraced to ensure their productive use. How do we consume entertainment? And what is the impact that we experience personally or in the community? What are your perspectives on entertainment and media issues? Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/entertainment-the-media-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-bonus-round/

International Association of Facilitators webinar – An introductory “depth-dive” webinar for Facilitators

Saturday, August 4th
1 am Pacific, 4 am Eastern

This webinar is a taster of relevance to Facilitators who desire to stretch and really engage with deeper human aspects of people, groups and their empowerment – in the service of an enriched Facilitation journey.

REGISTER HERE

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

Thursday, August 8th
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 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 videoconferencing. A link to join the conversation will be sent to participants by the Wednesday before this training.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/training-free-the-nuts-bolts-of-living-room-conversations-14/

Online Living Room Conversation: Mental Health – 90-Minute Conversation w/ Optional 30-Minute Q & A with Hosts!

Thursday, August 8th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Most people agree that we want to reduce the stigma around mental health issues so that individuals and families are more inclined to seek help. Many people look to traditional western medicine for the primary answers to mental health problems. There is growing interest in exploring a wider variety of ways to support people facing mental health challenges. The value of meditation, exercise and other practices show great promise as we learn more and more about the plasticity of our brains. What does it mean to ‘get better’ from a mental health problems, and is it even possible? Here is the conversation guide.

REGISTER: www.livingroomconversations.org/event/mental-health-90-minute-conversation-w-optional-30-minute-q-a-with-hosts/

IAP2 Monthly Webinar: Victoria Encore – “Navigating The Culture Wars Through Thoughtful P2”

Tuesday, August 13th
11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

Once again, we’re excited to present one of the session presentations at the 2018 IAP2 North American Conference, that attendees told us would make a good Learning Webinar. In this, John Godec MCP3, Debra Duerr and Wendy Green-Lowe CP3 of The Participation Company, and Doug Sarno MCP3 of Forum Facilitation Group discuss delving into understanding of human behavior, the battle for control, and toxic participants and how we approach these issues as P2 practitioners.

It’s never been easy, but to be successful these days, we need to adjust to a hyper political and partisan environment. This session will explore the key battles we face in designing and conducting successful participation. We’ll discuss creating a level playing field, creating trust and facilitating success: what are the obstacles, and what are our “big guns”?

REGISTER: https://iap2usa.org/event-3166256

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

Thursday, August 15th
3 pm Pacific, 6 pm Eastern

No description provided.

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

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

Thursday, August 15th
4 pm Pacific, 7 pm Eastern

Racist, sexist, homophobe, even nazi: these words have lost their power for many conservatives. They don’t believe that these words describe them. They experience this as name-calling – part of an ongoing effort to undermine people on the right who have different values. Latte drinking liberal, femi-nazi, elitist: these are a few of the words that are used to dismiss people on the left. So now we are caught in a culture war where we are all losing. Losing friends, losing family, losing the ability to solve problems in a way that respects and honors the needs of everyone affected. How do we change this dynamic? Is there a way for us to tap into the kindness and goodwill that we’ve seen in friends across the political spectrum? Here is the conversation guide.

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

The Courageous Leadership Project webinar – Brave, Honest Conversations™

Wednesday, August 21st
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

National Civic League AAC Promising Practices Webinar – Improving Health and Fitness through Inclusive Community Challenges

Wednesday, August 28th
11:30 am Pacific, 2:30 pm Eastern

Join the National Civic League to learn how two of our 2019 All-America Cities are using community recreation challenges to improve health & fitness. Battle Creek, MI will tell us about Operation Fit, which is a healthy community initiative of Bronson Battle Creek, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, Regional Health Alliance, and the Battle Creek Family YMCA. The goal of Operation Fit is to decrease childhood obesity in Calhoun County.

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