Fall- A Season for Adaptation and New Online Training Offerings

By Erin Zimmermann, Strategic Development Manager, IAP2 USA


While skimming my social media thread this week, a post hit me and made me pause and think. The post from Dr. Aisha Ahmad, associate professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto read, “The 6-month mark in any sustained crisis is always difficult. We have all adjusted to this "new normal", but might now feel like we're running out of steam. Yet, at best, we are only 1/3 the way through this marathon. How can we keep going?”

I have seen and felt the stress rise this week with friends and colleagues, and within myself. As Dr. Aisha Ahmad put it, “Right now, it feels like we are looking ahead at a long, dark wintry tunnel. But it's not going to be like that. Rather, this is our next major adaptation phase. We've already re-learned how to do groceries, host meetings, and even teach classes. And we have found new ways to be happy and have fun. But as the days get shorter and colder, we need to be ready to innovate again.” 

I realized, that is exactly what the IAP2 community is doing. We have all adapted and re-imagined how to do public participation during a global pandemic. We have made strides in ways I never could have imagined. And, we aren’t finished. 

At IAP2 USA we are excited to announce we have finalized our fall online training schedule. You will find some comfort and familiarity in some of our signature courses, as well as some brand-new offerings. 

On October 1st & October 9th, Mahvash Hassan will share Engaging Immigrants And Other Underserved Communities In Public Engagement, an interactive session that will help full your toolbox with some new, innovative and effective public engagement techniques that will help you host better, powerful conversations, achieve objectives and create momentum positive change.

On October 22 & 23, John Bwarie will deliver a new course, Community Crisis Response, that will provide a step-by step approach to managing, informing, engaging and activating communities in times of crisis in a way that promotes cohesion. Honed during wildfires, earthquakes, and economic crises, this training has been successfully applied in real-time to COVID-19 pandemic.

I encourage you to check out our complete list of course offerings here. Our hope is that the content and networking within our course offerings help fill your cup. Cheers to the next phase of adaptation.



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