What is the role of P2 in our changing country? We look forward to exploring this next week at the Skills Symposium, to be followed by ongoing conversations with members from March through August and a wrap up at the IAP2 North American Conference in Denver. Become involved – participate – we want to hear from you!
I think it is safe to say that the national political context is influencing public participation and decision-making processes across the country. Involvement is happening in a number of ways that are hard to miss - the Women’s March on Washington, the recent Town Hall meetings with elected officials and new groups like @USIndivisible, @TheKindnessMovement, and @AltNationalParkService. Engagement abounds.
While it is exciting to see so many people engaging in democracy for the first time, much of this engagement is inspired by a decline in trust of government and an increase in resistance, fear and anger. If public participation is something we have in common and operates against what potentially divides us, its capacity to be a shared norm is surely being tested in this time of high conflict and uncertainty.
Truly, events at the national level are changing the ways people engage in our democracy at all levels. As individuals, we may be asking ourselves whether our country is irreparably divided; whether we are still able to make good decisions together; and what might our role be in this context as a P2 practitioner, process owner, and/or stakeholder.
IAP2 USA and IAP2 Canadaare seeking session proposals for the sixth annualIAP2 North American Conference, to be heldSeptember 6-8, 2017 in Denver, Colorado, USA. The Conference is the major global P2 event of the year and we welcome papers from around the world and expect a global audience in attendance.
You're in luck! We have decided to extend the application deadline for IAP2 USA's Mentorship Program!
This program connects seasoned P2 professionals with individuals interested in learning more about the P2 process. We invite people of all skill levels, areas of interest, and professional backgrounds to apply and participate. The path of this program is decided by the mentor/mentee pair. You make your own goals, work at your own pace, and learn valuable skills in the process. This program is truly unique to the individuals that participate in it.
One mentee said "This was a great opportunity to get perspective on my development as a practitioner. My Mentor was knowledgeable about so many things and was able to help illuminate parts of my experiences and work that I hadn't considered. The things I learned through this program have had a significant impact on my plans for the future."
One mentor said "Our profession is changing rapidly - with emerging communication technologies, challenging political contexts, and declining social capacity for addressing controversial issues in a civil manner. As a seasoned professional with over 25 years’ experience, I greatly enjoyed getting to know my mentee and her perspectives on our profession as a relative newcomer in the field. I am certain I benefited every bit as much from the Mentorship Program as she did!"
If you think this program is for you, or you would like to learn more, visit our website and apply today!
We hope you apply and become a part of this great program!
Introducing Lauren Wirtis ...IAP2 Intern and Member
Lauren is a recent addition to the IAP2 USA community, becoming a member in January of 2017! We are also excited to announce that Lauren is our 2017 Intern. Welcome to the IAP2 USA community!
Lauren became a planner because she is passionate about P2. She is interested in what people think about the places they live, what changes they would like to see, and how to get more people involved in their communities.
“As a planner in community development, I see my role as the facilitator and interpreter, translating between the world of public policy and the experiences of everyday life.”
—Lauren Wirtis
February 1, 2017 – The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2 Federation) is now accepting applications from individuals in the field of public engagement who are interested in becoming licensed to deliver the IAP2 international training program, Foundations in Public Participation.
The Train-the-Trainer (T3) program has been refreshed during the past year with the guidance of SBM Consultants (Canada) and IAP2 volunteer Steering Committee members: Jan Bloomfield, Anne Carroll, Kylie Cochrane, Anne Harding, Gale Simpson, and Erika Du Plessis, along with input from subject matter experts among the IAP2 training community.
Three webinars have been organized for people who are interested in becoming licensed to deliver IAP2’s Foundations in Effective Public Participation course.
Webinar Rewind– Montréal Encore: “Making Engagement Meaningful with P2 Toolkits”
In your P2 career, are there times when being the professional is almost a hindrance to meaningful engagement? You could walk into a situation where the community is skeptical that a process will be fair and honest, or find that staff are more involved than you’re able to accommodate, or any of a number of other situations.
One solution is to develop P2 Toolkits. These are specialized “packages” of resources that can be provided to “non-professionals” to help them with their engagement efforts. Based on their presentation at the IAP2 North American Conference last September, Cristelle Blackford of CivicMakers, Abby Monroe of the City of Chicago and Zane Hamm, educator and research associate with the Centre for Public Involvement in Edmonton discussed how toolkits have worked in three individual projects.
Webinar on Deck – Core Values Award Winners – “Respect for Diversity, Inclusion and Culture”
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
2pm Eastern | 11am Pacific
Two award-winning projects that covered decidedly different aspects of P2 highlight our March 14 webinar. We learn how the Saint Paul Public School District in Minnesota upgraded its facilities to 21st Century standards, consulting with teachers, parents and the students themselves on their needs and aspirations. Watch the video here.
From Canada, EcoPlan International worked with the Village of Alert Bay, BC and the ‘Namgis First Nation to develop a Community Development Plan for Cormorant Island, which the two communities had shared for decades without really interacting.Watch their video here.
As always, IAP2 Learning Webinars are free for members and only $50 for non-members.
CHAPTER NEWS
Greater Los Angeles Area (emerging) to host Public Engagement Strategy Workshop with Public Agenda & the Institute for Local Government March 8 in Sacramento – Former IAP2 USA board member and Public Agenda Director of Public Engagement, Matt Leighninger, will join Institute for Local Government trainers Nicole Cabral and Sarah Rubin in this workshop to provide you with the tools and resources you need to authentically engage stakeholders in thoughtful, democratic processes.
Midwest Chapter – 2016 Core Values Awards Winner Saint Paul Public Schools highlighted in the February 2017 issue of Architect, the journal of the American Institute of Architects. Congratulations Saint Paul Public Schools!
Check the IAP2 USA calendar for information on how to register for events and get involved!
INTERESTING LINKS
We would like to thank our members for submitting these links. If you have something you want to share please send it to info@iap2usa.org.
It appears those who predicted a surge in public engagement following the election weren't far off the mark. Witness: this item from the Douglas County, Oregon, News-Review.
The City of London, Ontario, is going to public consultation to talk a load of rubbish. (Find background on this story here.)
And an opinion piece from CBC Nova Scotia looks at the way public consultations are expected to remove barriers to involvement – in drafting a new Accessibility Act.
#iap2nac2017
The Train-the-Trainer (T3) program has been refreshed during the past year with the guidance of SBM Consultants (Canada) and IAP2 volunteer Steering Committee members: Jan Bloomfield, Anne Carroll, Kylie Cochrane, Anne Harding, Gale Simpson, and Erika Du Plessis, along with input from subject matter experts among the IAP2 training community.
In your P2 career, are there times when being the professional is almost a hindrance to meaningful engagement? You could walk into a situation where the community is skeptical that a process will be fair and honest, or find that staff are more involved than you’re able to accommodate, or any of a number of other situations.
Two award-winning projects that covered decidedly different aspects of P2 highlight our March 14 webinar. We learn how the Saint Paul Public School District in Minnesota upgraded its facilities to 21st Century standards, consulting with teachers, parents and the students themselves on their needs and aspirations. 
From Canada, EcoPlan International worked with the Village of Alert Bay, BC and the ‘Namgis First Nation to develop a Community Development Plan for Cormorant Island, which the two communities had shared for decades without really interacting.
We would like to thank our members for submitting these links. If you have something you want to share please send it to 