January/February 2022 Newsletter From IAP2 USA's New Executive Manager - Erin Zimmermann
Greetings IAP2 Community! I am thrilled to step into the Executive Manager role at IAP2 USA, following a very thoughtful and supportive transition process. My heart is filled with gratitude for the dynamic partnership and leadership of Gail Madziar, who will continue to support some special projects. Having served as the Strategic Development Manager for IAP2 USA for the last two and a half years, I have had the honor of experiencing this incredible network that leads, advances, and advocates for best practices in public participation. Prior to joining IAP2, I spent over a decade in nonprofit management, including serving as the Community Impact Director for United Way of Larimer County and participating in United Way’s Global Fellowship program. I thrive in complexity and have extensive experience in strategic planning, board development, volunteer engagement, and community building.
IAP2 USA Welcomes New President - Heather Imboden  Dear IAP2-USA members, I joined the IAP2-USA board three years ago because I saw an opportunity for public participation practitioners to better represent the diverse communities we serve. As your new board president, I’m thrilled to continue this work on behalf of our members, our field, and the community members whose lives we touch. With this in mind, I will continue to focus on making good on our commitment to equity. Like you, I am committed to P2 because we believe that “those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.” That means removing barriers to participation and building an inclusive practice. If you have ideas about how IAP2 USA can support you in meeting those goals, please let me know!
New IAP2 USA Board Members and Officers Welcome Cassie Hemphill, Kimberly Horndeski, Josh Stepherson, Coby Williams, and Rebecca Zito. Their three-year term runs from January 2022 through December 2024. In their first meeting of the year the new Board of Directors elected the 2022 Executive Committee officers.
The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is proud to announce the Officers for 2022.
IAP2 International extends its sincere thanks to John Poynton (USA) who has concluded his term as Treasurer, Constance Ramaciere (Canada) who has concluded her term as Secretary, and Kylie Cochrane (Australia) who has concluded her term serving as International Chair. more details |
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Certified Public Participation Professional, CP3 - Deadline February 25
An Assessment Center is now scheduled for June 10-11, 2022 with an application deadline of February 25, 2022.
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Certification as a Public Participation professional acknowledges your adherence to a strict set of standards recognized around the world for delivering quality, meaningful public participation. It is the premier credential for public participation professionals. |
Submit your proposal for the 2022 IAP2 North American Conference in Banff |
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Do you have insights to share with your P2 colleagues? If you have delivered innovative engagement that can inspire and/or challenge us, we invite you to submit your application to present at the 2022 IAP2 North American Conference in Banff (Sept. 14-16). The Program Committee is looking for:
The 2022 conference theme is Connecting with Purpose broken into 5 sub-themes that highlight the importance of connection:
If any of those themes “connect” with you, read the Call for proposals and submit your application by February 28. Something to keep in mind: this year’s Conference will be both in-person and “virtual lite”, with some of the presentations live-streamed to those who prefer not to travel at that time. Let the committee know if your session would be suitable for hybrid delivery. |
IAP2 Midwest Chapter's 2022 Spring Conference
The IAP2 Midwest Chapter's 2022 Spring Conference is May 4-6, 2022. Our theme is Breaking Down Walls: Meeting the Challenge of Inclusion in Public Participation. We are still working to fit in as many of the session proposals as possible. Look for the schedule and registration in early February.
The planning committee found a lovely and affordable conference site, the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy, Eagan, MN. It features space for us to gather as a large group, plus breakout rooms and an outdoor pavilion. There are walking trails in the adjacent city park. read more
Featured Course - Online P2: How to Design and Host Effective Digital Public Engagement
February 28, March 4, 7, & 11
12:00 - 3:30 pm Eastern
Presented by Susanna Haas Lyons, M.A.
Digital tools are essential for public participation in the age of COVID-19. This hands-on course will teach you to create online engagement campaigns that gather input creatively, enable collaborative online interactions, and sustain participation over time. We'll identify barriers to participation and examine strategies to build equity and inclusion online. Learn best practices for facilitating online meetings. Bring your questions and lessons learned, so we can learn from one another's engagement innovations during this global pandemic. Join by computer if possible (rather than tablet), as this course gives you an opportunity to experience both the convenor and participant sides of online participation.
Participants completing this course can:
- Define objectives for their engagement efforts and understand how these apply to online participation strategies
- Use simple online tools to “listen” to what people are saying online about a project’s key issues and people
- Begin to write content appropriate for social media P2 projects and understand the importance of two-way communication in this medium.
- Identify participation barriers for digital environments and explore approaches to increase equity and inclusion
- Recognize the value and capacity of online advertising
- Craft a basic online strategy to engage people at all depths of involvement and at various stages of the project
February Webinar
February 8 - (Learning Webinar) NAC Encore - What Can I Do About the Deepening Political Divide?
In this reprise of one of the more popular sessions at the 2021 IAP2 North American Conference. Sheila Shockey sets the stage and deepens participants understanding of why the divide is deepening
Political division in America has not been this deep since the Reformation following the Civil War. What can we do? We live in a world where there is no shortage of divisive and intractable issues facing society. We are divided by polarized politics that hamper our ability to find common ground on the way forward. This polarization creates an uncivil atmosphere where it seems that we can no longer have open and frank conversations. We just head to our respective corners. Most of these contentious issues that divide our society are critical to our futures. What can we do as neutral facilitators to effectively move people toward healing?
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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.
January 11 - (Learning Webinar) IAP2 Core Values Award Winners
Learn from the best! Next month's webinar brings together more winners of the 2021 IAP2 Core Values Awards! You'll meet the winner of the USA General Project Category, Salt Lake City, UT, and Avenue Consultants for "Reconstructing 300 West", a major road in the city. Residents along the route were consulted on how to re-build the road and what was needed, moving into the future.
The Canadian award for Organization of the Year was a timely one: the Manitoba Government for its work to create a P2 "culture" and specifically, to develop EngageMB, to give Manitobans the opportunity to participate in decisions that affect them during the pandemic.
The award for Respect for Diversity, Inclusion and Culture went to the Vancouver (BC) Coastal Health Authority for "VCH Translation and Interpretation Engagement". VCH serves a region in which a third of the population does not have English as their first language, so this project aims to remove linguistic barriers so people understand health and medical information.
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.