The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) and the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (DECCW) invite you to attend a two-day training workshop:

Beyond the 'usual suspects': involving your community in decision making through deliberative democracy

 To download the workshop flyer click here

Complex challenges such as climate change demand new forms of community involvement in a collaborative approach to planning and development.

At this hands-on, interactive workshop you will:

• Learn the tools and techniques of deliberative democracy and how to more effectively involve a broad cross section of citizens in your community in climate change and other sustainability issues;
• Develop the skills to design, convene, facilitate and evaluate a deliberative process in your local community to inform policy and program development.

The workshops will provide the information and decision making tools to support the development of local climate change adaptation and mitigation plans.

These training workshops draw on the award winning NSW Climate Consensus Project which delivered 13 deliberative democracy forums across NSW. This project received the highly commended award for Public Participation Innovation by the International Association for Public Participation in its 2009 'Core Values' Awards, for promoting best practice approaches to involve everyday citizens in climate change decision making at a local and state level.

The two-day training workshops will be facilitated by Dr Kath Fisher , a leading practioner in the field of community engagement and deliberative democracy and Marnie Kikken, Project Manager of the NSW Climate Consensus Project.

These training workshops have been designed for council and government agency decision makers and practitioners, particularly those involved in climate change policy and program development.

Workshop dates and locations:

Thursday 25th and Friday 26th Feb 2010

9am - 5pm (both days)

Blue Hall (25th Feb); Yellow Hall (26th Feb)

Chester Hill Community Centre (25 Chester Hill Rd, Chester Hill)

Hosted by Bankstown City Council

Monday 29th & Tuesday 30th March 2010

9am - 5pm (both days)

Level 9 Function Room, Administration Building

41 Burelli Street, Wollongong

Hosted by Wollongong City Council

Workshop costs

$120 + GST (government and agency staff)

$90 + GST (members of community organisations and practitioners)

All workshop participants will receive a free copy of the new joint NCC / DECCW supported publication Beyond the 'usual suspects': involving your community in decision making through deliberative democracy; a practical, step-by-step guide to designing, convening, facilitating and evaluating a deliberative process.

or for further information contact Rachel Mimmo on 02 9279 2633 or at rmimmo@nccnsw.org.au