July 2021 Newsletter

From the Executive Manager's Desk - Premier Professional Development for Public Participation Professionals

July 2021 Message: Gail Madziar, Executive Manager, IAP2 USA

This year’s IAP2 North American Conference keynotes will be among the most informative and valuable plenaries the conference has offered. Writer, poet, educator and interdisciplinary artist Anastacia-Reneé will offer a thought-provoking talk about the role of public participation in engaging BIPOC and marginalized communities. Dr. Crystal Hall unpacks the social science behind decision-making and policy and Rahmin Sarabi and Lauren Higgens will look at the intersections of deliberative democracy, participatory democracy, and organizing across unlikely allies for the greater good. You don’t want to miss these engaging experts.

With dozens of sessions across a wide range of topics the 2021 NAC is an ideal venue for open dialogue and idea exchange with a large community of public participation professionals across North America. Chapters and Professional Certification will both provide sessions so you can explore those avenues.  If you are unable to attend all the sessions, they will be recorded and available for some time after the event. 

You can see the full agenda here. For more information on the North American Virtual Conference September 13-16 visit the conference site. 

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IAP2 USA’s Commitment to Equity

DEI Statement Approved by IAP2 USA Board

By Aline Faiwichow Estefam

Racism and systemic biases are antithetical to all IAP2 USA stands for. As an organization, we cannot stay silent and hope for a more equitable future. To assure that diversity is at the core of our practice, and as part of our Action plan for 2021, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee has developed an organizational commitment to Equity. With leadership from the DEI committee members Coby Williams and Phyllis Timpo, the document outlines steps that IAP2 will take to ensure equity, diversity, and inclusion. The commitment tried to fully express why DEI is essential to P2 practice and how IAP2 intends to focus our work on it. 

We are grateful to all members who shared their feedback, which made this more robust and encouraged IAP2. If you are interested in learning more and reading all feedback, please access the document here.

IAP2 USA's DEI Statement

IAP2 USA Board of Directors Nominations - Deadline August 6th


IAP2 USA is looking for new leaders.

Help set the direction of your expanding organization by nominating yourself or a colleague for board service. We are looking for candidates with a variety of professional expertise, cultural backgrounds, spectrum of life experiences, and geographic reach. This year’s board needs visionary and enthusiastic leaders intent on guiding the organization into the future.

By serving on the IAP2 USA  board you will not only give back to your profession, you will develop leadership skills, and increase your knowledge and passion for the public participation practice.

Consider becoming a Board member. To nominate yourself please fill in the following form Nomination form and send to gail@iap2usa.org – subject heading “Nomination Application”.

For additional information review the Nominations Information Package.

IAP2 USA elections will include nomination and selection of the IAP2 International Board’s USA Representative. For more information see the IAP2 International position description.

For questions contact Gail Madziar, Executive Manager, IAP2 USA at gail@iap2usa.org or Heather Imboden, Chair, Nominations Committee 
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IAP2 USA Seeks Interested Individuals to Become Licensed Trainers

IAP2 USA is gathering a list of interested individuals wishing to become licensed as IAP2 trainers! In preparation for future roll out of harmonized licensed curriculum and new courses, IAP2 USA is looking for individuals who are passionate and skilled public participation practitioners who seek to advance public engagement through teaching and bringing concepts alive for beginning through advanced adult learners.

IAP2’s trainers model IAP2’s Core Values and Code of Ethics, not only in the training room, but in their own practice. We especially invite applicants from under-represented and marginalized cultures and communities. 

Click here add your name to the interest list. The process for becoming a trainer is currently under review, and more details will be available this fall. Thank you for your interest. Questions? Contact erin@iap2usa.org.

    Inquire Here

    Featured Course - IAP2's Public Participation for Decision Makers

    Trainer: Kim Hyshka, CP3

    Kim Hyshka

    August 11, 2021

    12:30 - 4:00pm Eastern

    Do you make decisions affecting the public?

    Do you consult with the public as you make your decisions?

    Are you sometimes reluctant to include them in the conversation?

    This virtual workshop is designed to show you how your decisions are so much better for consulting with the public -- the people affected by the decision.

    You’ll learn:

    • the foundations of Public Participation (P2)
    • how P2 can be integrated into the overall project plan
    • the costs and benefits of a P2 process and how to get the best value
    • the importance of both the decision to be made and the promise to the public about what their involvement means in making that decision
    • when to involve the public in an organizational decision -- and when not to.
      Register

      Webinar Recordings -  Available free to Members On-Demand

      All of our past webinars are available to members who are logged into iap2usa.org. Just click here and you will be prompted to login to the Webinar Archives.


      July 13 Learning Webinar: NAC Encore: "Building a Better Future for Everyone Using Transgenerational Thinking"

        This highly-interactive session will discuss the challenge of keeping up with the exponential changes we're seeing in technologies, public policy, the environment, and economy.  Decision-making has to be more inclusive of diverse views and difficult conversations about the future are necessary to thrive and for some to survive, especially in light of the recent impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. By introducing global trends with local context, we are changing the conversation so communities can elevate community engagement and build a better future.

        Through breakout rooms and an open discussion period, you will learn how to start a conversation using local data, global trends, and transgenerational thinking in your communities. We will use hands-on trend sorting exercises for three types of communities (rural, suburban, urban), resulting in themes about what makes a community special today and what will make it flourish into the future

        Members can view this and all other webinars in our Webinar Archives.

        August Learning Webinar

        August 10 Learning Webinar: NAC Encore: "Beyond Inclusion - 8 Principles for Equitable Public Engagement"

          In our last in our "encore" series from the 2020 IAP2 North American Virtual Conference researchers at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue asked how a public engagement process could go beyond inclusion and achieve true equity: building reciprocal relationships and sharing power with communities to co-create accessible and meaningful engagement processes.

          Elodie Jacquet of the Wosk Centre will introduce eight principles for equitable public engagement, developed from the Centre's research. Then, as in the Conference session, you will be invited to discuss challenges and strategies for success from your own experiences, and/or fictionalized case studies that reflect real-world constraints.

          But this research has been underway since the Wosk Centre undertook a project for IAP2 in 2018 -- so you can expect some exciting updates in this webinar.

          Register

          All Upcoming Webinars

          If our current courses don't meet your needs please fill out this quick survey so we can help you become the P2 practitioner your community needs.

          Member Spotlight

          If your organization  had any recent P2 successes or thought of creative solutions we want to hear about it! Please contact info@iap2usa.org to be featured on our website or newsletter.


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