IAP2 USA ONLINE COURSES

Flagship Courses

IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation – We are very excited to be launching the next evolution of training that builds on our foundational best practices. Our flagship Foundations training program has been updated and now consists of three core courses. Visit our training calendar to register for updated course offerings.

IAP2 USA's Certificate in Public Participation (P2) consists of 3 core courses - Fundamentals of Public Participation, Designing Public Participation, and Applying Methods. Based on IAP2's internationally recognized Global Learning Pathway, this professional development certificate program builds on the foundations of public participation training and best practices from around the globe to provide participants with approximately 30 hours of effective training in public participation and engagement.

Fundamentals of Public Participation (Prerequisite to other courses)

Who: For all practitoners

This course:

  • Explores IAP2’s best practices and underlying frameworks to create meaningful participation and reflect on one’s own existing practice
  • Centers diversity, equity and inclusion in the practice of engagement
  • Allows participant’s to apply this knowledge to their own public participation practice

Designing Public Participation

Who: For practitioners who are leading the planning and implementation of public participation processes

This course:

  • Helps practitioners design an engagement process and plan for a real-world scenario

Applying Methods

Who: For practitioners who are part of a team implementing a public participation process and are looking for the practical skills to be effective in designing and applying methods.

This course:

  • Provides opportunities to practice and evaluate methods
  • Demonstrates ways to blend methods into hybrid techniques
  • Shares techniques to craft questions to draw out meaningful input
Learn More!

As a key leader in the public participation sector IAP2 USA provides skills-based learning to people and organizations on what they need to know and do, so that they can successfully develop, deliver, and lead authentic engagement processes.

"I wanted to tell you that I’m getting great feedback from everyone and it’s truly been a life changing experience for some, which I knew it would be. I can’t thank you enough for your help this past week and I look forward to two more trainings for the rest of my Public Outreach & Engagement Peer Group. We have about 45 people all being trained with IAP2. Just think what a difference that will make in our Agency moving forward!"

Deanna J. Desedas, Public Outreach & Engagement Manager
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

North American Conference


SAVE THE DATE

Join us in Seattle, Washington September 13-15, 2023 for the IAP2 North American Conference hosted by IAP2 USA.

    Registration Opens Soon

    All Upcoming Courses

    • Riding the Storm: Bravely Leading in times of polarization and disruption- Self Paced Learning: At your own pace, in your own time

      • April 22, 2021
      • December 31, 2023
      • Online - Self Paced Learning
      Register

      Introducing IAP2 USA's first online, self-paced training opportunity

      This new self-paced course will build your skills and knowledge for bravely leading in times of polarization and conflict.

      We live in times of rapid change, upheaval and global inter-connection. We are experiencing a growing divide and polarization between people, with an increasing dynamic of us versus them. We've seen a rise in public shame, blame and vitriol. We face enormous complex challenges like climate change, the global refugee crisis, systemic racism and inequity. We've been hit with a global pandemic which is causing rising fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

      While all these things are in the space of the public arena where we interact with each other every day, we have a unique opportunity to choose how we want to lead these biggest challenges of our lives and choose how we want to work together with others.

      It starts with you. Ask yourself these questions:

      • What is happening around you that you want to step in to?

      • How do you want to lead in ways that are different than you are leading now?

      • What would be different if you were better equipped to bravely lead challenging conversations?

      • What works and what doesn’t and what do you need to watch out for?

      The course opens with an introductory video lecture on key concepts, with 4 more modules where you can work at your own pace to build competency in key areas of leadership in a world of complexity, polarization and disruption. The Modules cover: 

      • Bravely leading challenging conversations 

      • Holding space for high emotion 

      • Building trust in the public arena 

      • De-escalation tools for high stakes interactions

      Priced lower than our other courses, this self-paced training allows you to learn when and where it works best for you. When you are done, you qualify for a free coaching session with Steph Roy McCallum, the course instructor, to deepen and apply your learning.

      $365 Members -- $455 Non-Members

      *IAP2 USA Members must login to receive the members only rate

      *IAP2 International Members can email info@iap2usa for a discount code

       — Cancellation and Substitution policy —

      Trainer: Stephani Roy McCallum

      Stephani is Chief Storm Rider at the Courageous Leadership Project. She is a Leadership Coach, Certified Professional Facilitator, and a seasoned leader specializing in conflict, high emotion and controversy. She has worked internationally on controversial projects with individuals, organizations and communities to transform conflict and create momentum for positive change. Stephani believes that brave, honest conversations solve the problems in our world.

      She has led and managed conversations involving more than 30,000 participants, and has worked on five continents facilitating complex topics like municipal budgets, school closures, land use, health care, transportation, nuclear waste, natural disaster, truth and reconciliation, environment and more.

      Stephani has been the Project Lead on a number of international and national award winning projects, including a project which received the IAP2 International Core Values Award for finding common ground and a way forward for the blood donation policy for men who have had sex with other men for Canadian Blood Services, a highly divisive and polarizing issue.

      She has been a licensed trainer of the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Foundations in Public Participation since 2005, and was a lead developer of IAP2’s Strategies for Public Opposition and Outrage course. She was an IAP2 Assessor, coach and mentor for new candidate trainers for all of IAP2's training programs from 2011 to 2016, and continues to serve as an Assessor and Coach for new trainers of the Outrage program. She was the 2008 President of IAP2 International. Stephani has a background in Sociology and holds certificates in Co-active coaching, Courageous Leadership, Authentic Leadership, community development & alternative dispute resolution. She regularly speaks and presents internationally on how to lead powerfully in the face of challenges, creating new more possible futures for all of us, together.



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    • IAP2's Designing & Leading Public Participation

      • December 12, 2023
      • (EST)
      • December 15, 2023
      • (EST)
      • 4 sessions
      • Online Via Zoom- Trainers: Craddock Stropes and Penny Mabie
      • 0
      Registration is closed

      **You must first complete Fundamentals of Public Participation before this course**

      Four 4-hour sessions

      December 12- 15, 2023 
      1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern
      12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Central
      11:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m. Mountain

      10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Pacific


      Designing & Leading Public Participation

      Designing & Leading Public Participation (P2) is a Level 2 course that introduces practitioners to the design and plan phases of the practice framework, providing them with the opportunity to develop P2 plans. This includes scoping, community mapping, determining purpose and objectives and levels of influence, choosing appropriate methods and managing resources, while considering the needs of diverse audiences. The course is suitable for practitioners who are leading the planning and implementation of P2 processes.

      Course objectives:

      1. For a real-world scenario, design an engagement process and plan that includes:

      • Develop a clear scope of the work, problem or opportunity with identified negotiables and non-negotiables
      • Conduct detailed stakeholder analysis, community mapping and equity analysis
      • Identify appropriate roles and levels of influence for key participants
      • Establish clear engagement purpose and objectives and success criteria/measures to suit scenario
      • Identify relevant profiles of engagement
      • Conduct a detailed risk/opportunities assessment
      • Identify key roles for senior leaders and decision makers

      2. Explore principles and approaches for equity, diversity and inclusion, and apply them to stakeholder analysis

      3. Embed digital strategies, platforms, tools and methods as part of the plan and process

      4. Develop an evaluation framework to suit the scenario

      5. Identify key roles and resources needed to implement the P2/engagement plan

      6. Develop and apply a suitable presentation to senior leaders that will secure commitment and resources for the P2/engagement plan

      7. Identify the many different contexts of engagement, including the elements present in more complex engagement scenarios

        Professional Certification/Credits

        THIS COURSE

          #2 Designing & Leading Public Participation (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 16 CM) 

            December 12 - 15, 2023       1 PM – 5 PM ET

            Members $550 -- Regular $650 

            Last day to Register December 8, 2023

            PLEASE NOTE: IAP2 USA members must be logged in to receive the member rate. International IAP2 members can contact info@iap2usa.org for a code to register. 

             — Cancellation and Substitution policy —

            **You must first complete Fundamentals of Public Participation before this course**

            ________________________________________________________________________

            PREREQUISITE COURSE

            #1 Fundamentals of Public Participation (2 - 4 hour sessions CM I 8 CM) 

              December 5 & 6, 2023        1 PM – 5 PM ET O

              Members $275 --  Regular $325

              Last day to Register: December 1, 2023 

              REGISTER FOR FUNDAMENTALS

              FINAL COURSE

              #3 Applying Methods for Public Participation (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 16 CM) 

                January 2024      1 PM – 5 PM ET

                Members $550 -- Regular $650 


                Certificate Program - All Three Modules (10 - 4 hour Sessions) 

                      Regular $1,625  Members $1,375  


                Trainers:

                Penny Mabie has been licensed by IAP2 to deliver the Certificate Program since 2009. She has more than 20 years of experience in public involvement, facilitation, and training. As a public involvement consultant, Penny provides facilitation and public participation services to support environmental remediation decision processes, infrastructure siting and design, multi-jurisdictional task forces on flood control, recycling and transportation planning, and national climate change initiatives. She is also a roster member with the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.




                Craddock Stropes (she/her) is a facilitator, trainer and coach with more than 25 years of experience in the local government and non-profit sectors. Her work centers on connecting people with ideas to create inclusive, strategic and tangible solutions that make everyday lives better. She is chair of the IAP2 USA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, a member of the American Public Works Association national DEI Committee and is active in the International Network of Asian Public Administrators. She has presented learning sessions on inclusion, public engagement and crisis communications for Connect, California Association for Public Information Officers, Public Relations Society of America, American Public Works Association and Transforming Local Government conferences. She is currently a senior management analyst for the City of Carlsbad.


                Show details

              • IAP2's Fundamentals of Public Participation

                • January 10, 2024
                • (EST)
                • January 11, 2024
                • (EST)
                • 2 sessions
                • Online with Trainer Doug Zenn
                • 16
                • 3 registrants
                Register

                 Fundamentals of Public Participation

                First course to be taken before Designing Public Participation and Applying Methods

                The Fundamentals of Public Participation (P2) course is a prerequisite to other courses in the Global Learning Pathway that sets out the underpinning models and frameworks of engagement practice as defined by the IAP2 community.

                The focus of this course is on understanding and applying the practices of meaningful and effective P2 and what participants need to know to do this well. The training explores best practices, and how to design and apply this knowledge to your P2.

                Course objectives

                By the end of this course participants will be able to:

                • Define P2 and related terms and what makes it unique
                • Identify what makes P2 meaningful, and reflect on the benefits, risks and myths related to P2
                • Identify the role that values play in P2 work, and the leadership attributes that will serve them in practice 
                • Reflect on and apply ethical leadership actions and abilities to P2 situations
                • Apply the Profiles of P2 model to P2, and explore organization- and community-led engagement and how that impacts the engagement process
                • Reflect on and apply the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and explore the roles and impacts of power and influence
                • Apply the IAP2 Spectrum to P2 situations and practice
                • Explore the Practice Framework as a tool for effective planning and process, and assess the quality of the process

                Professional Certification/Credits

                THIS COURSE

                #1 Fundamentals of Public Participation (2 - 4 hour sessions CM I 8 CM) 

                  January 10 & 11, 2024     1 PM – 5 PM ET

                  Members $275 --  Regular $325

                  Last day to Register January 5, 2024

                   — Cancellation and Substitution policy —

                  **You must first complete this module before Designing Public Participation and Applying Methods**

                  ________________________________________________________________________

                  NEXT COURSE

                  #2 Designing & Leading Public Participation (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 18 CM) 

                    February 6-9, 2024 | 1 PM – 5 PM ET

                    Members $550 -- Regular $650 

                    FINAL COURSE

                    #3 Applying Methods for Public Participation  (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 18 CM) 

                      January 23-26, 2024 | 1 PM – 5 PM ET

                      Members $550 -- Regular $650 

                      Registration open now

                      Certificate Program - All Three Modules (10 - 4 hour Sessions) 

                      Regular $1,625  Members $1,375 

                      Trainer: Doug Zenn

                      Doug has 30 years of experience in the communications field and has developed and managed community involvement, awareness, and education efforts around numerous issues including visioning, transportation, water resources, community-based planning and more. Doug has led ZennAssociates’ development of the innovative “Three-Dimensional Public Participation” model (3DP2) an approach that expands community access to project information and provides unique avenues for community input including the use of new technologies. Doug also serves on the executive committee for IAP2’s Cascade Chapter (Oregon and Southwest Washington) and is a certified trainer for IAP2’s public involvement foundations courses. Doug Zenn has 30 years of experience in the communications field and has developed and managed community involvement.


                      Show details

                    • IAP2's Applying Methods for Public Participation

                      • January 23, 2024
                      • (EST)
                      • January 26, 2024
                      • (EST)
                      • 4 sessions
                      • Online with Trainer Doug Zenn
                      • 8
                      Register

                      ***Fundamentals of Public Participation is the prerequisites for this course

                      Completion of IAP2 Foundations in P2: Planning For Effective Public Participation prior to 2023 also counts as a prerequisite for this course***

                      IAP2's Applying Methods for Public Participation

                      Four 4-hour sessions

                      January 23, 24, 25 & 26, 2024
                      1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern
                      12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Central
                      11:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m. Mountain

                      10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Pacific

                      Applying Methods is a Level 2 course that introduces practitioners to a large number of P2 methods. This includes learning how to design specific methods, developing good question design, and having an opportunity to practice running some methods.

                      The course is suitable for practitioners who are part of a team implementing a P2 process and are looking for the practical skills to be effective in designing and applying methods.

                      Course objectives:

                      1. Identify a range of methods that can be used for various engagement purposes and processes, and strategies to select the most appropriate method/s for an engagement project/process.

                      2. Research, design and test a F2F and/or online method using a range of tools and resources.

                      3. Apply the four steps of designing a method incorporating the eight key components of method design.

                      4. Develop rational and experiential aims.

                      5. Design an appropriate format.

                      6. Design questions and process.

                      7. Develop appropriate communications.

                      8. Combine methods to achieve engagement goals and objectives and test for appropriate sequencing.

                      9. Incorporate inclusion and diversity principles

                      10. Identify data management needs, evaluation points and measures.

                      11. Identify resources required.

                      12. Explore a variety of both F2F and online methods/ techniques that are more structured and have nested methods within them (e.g., Deliberative Processes, Appreciative Inquiry and Open Space Technology).

                      13. Analyze the specific requirements for online and digital methods, identify and select appropriate platforms and tools to meet needs and strategize to develop these methods for delivery.

                      14. Identify principles for monitoring online activity.

                      15. Test the design by running elements of the method and submitting to peer review using a checklist.

                      16. Apply methods to achieve engagement goals and objectives, including using effective communication skills, and test for appropriate sequencing.

                      17. Design key messages and communication tools that build trust and integrity, and meet the needs of diverse audiences.

                        Professional Certification/Credits

                        Applying Methods for Public Participation (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 20 CM) 

                          January 23 - 26, 2024       1 PM – 5 PM ET

                          Members $550 -- Regular $650 

                          Last day to Register January 19, 2024 

                          PLEASE NOTE: IAP2 USA members must be logged in to receive the member rate. International IAP2 members can contact info@iap2usa.org for a code to register. 

                           — Cancellation and Substitution policy —

                          **You must first complete Fundamentals of P2 before this course

                          Completion of IAP2 Foundations in P2: Planning For Effective Public Participation prior to 2023 also counts as a prerequisite for this course**

                          PREREQUISITE COURSE

                          #1 Fundamentals of Public Participation (2 - 4 hour sessions CM I 8 CM) 

                            January 30 and 31, 2024       1 PM – 5 PM ET OR 

                            Members $275 --  Regular $325

                            NEXT COURSE

                            #2 Designing & Leading Public Participation (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 16 CM) 

                              February 6-9, 2024       1 PM – 5 PM ET

                              Members $550 -- Regular $650

                              Certificate Program - All Three Modules (10 - 4 hour Sessions) 
                                        Regular $1,625  Members $1,375 

                              Trainer: Doug Zenn

                              Doug has 30 years of experience in the communications field and has developed and managed community involvement, awareness, and education efforts around numerous issues including visioning, transportation, water resources, community-based planning and more. Doug has led ZennAssociates’ development of the innovative “Three-Dimensional Public Participation” model (3DP2) an approach that expands community access to project information and provides unique avenues for community input including the use of new technologies. Doug also serves on the executive committee for IAP2’s Cascade Chapter (Oregon and Southwest Washington) and is a certified trainer for IAP2’s public involvement foundations courses. Doug Zenn has 30 years of experience in the communications field and has developed and managed community involvement.

                              Show details

                            • IAP2's Fundamentals of Public Participation

                              • January 30, 2024
                              • (EST)
                              • January 31, 2024
                              • (EST)
                              • 2 sessions
                              • Online with Trainer Justin Schneider
                              • 18
                              • 2 registrants
                              Register

                               Fundamentals of Public Participation

                              First course to be taken before Designing Public Participation and Applying Methods

                              The Fundamentals of Public Participation (P2) course is a prerequisite to other courses in the Global Learning Pathway that sets out the underpinning models and frameworks of engagement practice as defined by the IAP2 community.

                              The focus of this course is on understanding and applying the practices of meaningful and effective P2 and what participants need to know to do this well. The training explores best practices, and how to design and apply this knowledge to your P2.

                              Course objectives

                              By the end of this course participants will be able to:

                              • Define P2 and related terms and what makes it unique
                              • Identify what makes P2 meaningful, and reflect on the benefits, risks and myths related to P2
                              • Identify the role that values play in P2 work, and the leadership attributes that will serve them in practice 
                              • Reflect on and apply ethical leadership actions and abilities to P2 situations
                              • Apply the Profiles of P2 model to P2, and explore organization- and community-led engagement and how that impacts the engagement process
                              • Reflect on and apply the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and explore the roles and impacts of power and influence
                              • Apply the IAP2 Spectrum to P2 situations and practice
                              • Explore the Practice Framework as a tool for effective planning and process, and assess the quality of the process

                              Professional Certification/Credits

                              THIS COURSE

                              #1 Fundamentals of Public Participation (2 - 4 hour sessions CM I 8 CM) 

                                January 30 & 31, 2024     1 PM – 5 PM ET

                                Members $275 --  Regular $325

                                Last day to Register January 26, 2024

                                 — Cancellation and Substitution policy —

                                **You must first complete this module before taking Designing Public Participation and/or Applying Methods**

                                ________________________________________________________________________

                                NEXT COURSE

                                #2 Designing & Leading Public Participation (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 18 CM) 

                                  February 6 and 9, 2024   1 PM – 5 PM ET

                                  Members $550 -- Regular $650 

                                  FINAL COURSE

                                  #3 Applying Methods for Public Participation  (4 - 4 hour sessions CM I 18 CM) 

                                    February 26-29, 2-24 - 1 PM – 5 PM ET

                                    Members $550 -- Regular $650 

                                    Registration open now

                                    Certificate Program - All Three Modules (10 - 4 hour Sessions) 

                                    Regular $1,625  Members $1,375 

                                    Trainer: Justin Schneider