Natural Resources Training Program About Schedule Courses Conferences Instructors Subscribe Resources & Contact Stakeholder Facilitation Training January 24, 2012 at the Texas Farm Bureau Conference & Training Center located at 7410 Fish Pond Rd, Waco, TX 76712. AgendaIntroduction Worksheets Sample Ground Rules Invitation Moving the Ball Group Exercises/Quizzes Lost Are You Talkin’ to Me The Est in the US About the Training: Effective stakeholder engagement is a powerful tool to address watershed issues and has gained momentum in recent years because of the nature of the water quality problems we face today. Solving these problems requires the commitment and participation of stakeholders throughout the watershed. Stakeholder engagement is more than just holding a public hearing or seeking public comment on a new regulation. Effective stakeholder engagement provides a method for identifying public concerns and values, developing consensus among affected parties, and producing efficient and effective solutions through an open, inclusive process. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach for conducting a successful stakeholder engagement program, there are common elements to consider when working with stakeholders. This workshop will highlight tools used to effectively identify, engage, and involve stakeholders throughout a watershed to restore and maintain healthy environmental conditions. Key concepts to be highlighted include the following: Identifying driving forces Forming a stakeholder group Differentiating between positions and needs Keeping the process moving forward Dealing with conflict and hidden agendas Making decisions using a consensus-based approach About the Instructor: Ms. Charlie MacPherson has exceeded the average life expectancy at a consulting firm by recently celebrating her 22nd year at Tetra Tech, Inc. She has worked with dozens of organizations ranging from her son's fifth grade science class to the Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa Indians to develop and effectively communicate environmental solutions to our every day actions. For the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency she co-authored the guidebooks Getting In Step: A Guide to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed, Getting In Step: A Guide to Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed, and the Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect our Waters. She often uses her Top Ten Tips for Outreach that Won't Break the Bank to try and elicit behavior change in her teenagers.