Fresh from the recent launch of our book, Facilitating Deliberation – A Practical Guide, MosaicLab is teaming up with newDemocracy Foundation (nDF) to offer a special training event that takes participants on a journey through a citizens’ assembly.

The event is for facilitators who want to learn how to run citizens’ assemblies and also for community engagement practitioners who are interested in finding out more about these processes. Places are limited, see training details below.

“In February 2023, we’re working with MosaicLab to help train the next generation of facilitators so they can handle one of the most complex citizen engagement formats to operate – a citizens’ assembly,” nDF Executive Director Iain Walker said.

“With an emphasis on ensuring citizens freely explore a difficult question, consider evidence, apply critical thinking, factor in biases and self-write their own report showing reasoning and evidence; this requires a unique set of skills.

"For a training event like this, we need to host a citizens' assembly experience.”

WHY COME?

Explore a question directly relevant to your career – how can citizens make a meaningful and fulfilling contribution to public decisions?
Experience a citizens' assembly format as a participant, to better understand what it would be like for your communities.
Watch experienced facilitators in full flight, see how they operate and the tools, methods and processes they use to help citizens move beyond public opinion and reach shared public agreement.

HOW IT WILL WORK

Phase 1: Two-Day Immersive, 25 places available

WHO: For community engagement practitioners, facilitators, elected members and decision-makers wanting to find out how deliberative democracy works

For those wanting to learn a bit about citizens’ assemblies you will come in for a two-day immersive. The assembly gathered for this training opportunity will be exploring a question many facilitators may find relevant to their day jobs: How can citizens make a meaningful and fulfilling contribution to public decisions?

At the same time, it will be a training event for six to eight facilitators learning how the process works. Which means those attending will also get an inside look at how the facilitation works in practice.

“Phase 1 of this training will work like a condensed citizens’ assembly. ”

— newDemocracy Foundation Executive Director Iain Walker

Phase 2: Additional Three-Day Facilitation Masterclass, 8 places available

WHO: For facilitators wanting to get trained in facilitating citizens’ assemblies

These three days unpack the facilitation methods and processes for facilitators who want to become masters in this form of engagement.

You will step through each method and process, understand the purpose behind each one, see different variations of each method, and practice the approaches.

Following the three days of training, you will get personalised support from MosaicLab master deliberation facilitators, and have both an opportunity and an expectation to co-facilitate a three to four-day live deliberation alongside MosaicLab.

Upon completion of this facilitation masterclass and live co-facilitation, these facilitators will receive a reference from the newDemocracy Foundation outlining their skills and experience in this sort of engagement.

TRAINING DETAILS

PHASE 1: 2-DAY IMMERSIVE

WHEN: 6 – 7 February 2023 (Monday to Tuesday)
WHERE: Melbourne CBD
COST: $500 (includes meals and materials)
ASSEMBLY REGISTRATION: There are 25 places available.
REGISTER: Here.

PHASE 2: 3-DAY FACILITATION MASTERCLASS

WHEN: 22 – 24 February 2023 (Wednesday to Friday)
COST: $2000 (includes meals and materials)
FACILITATOR REGISTRATION: There are eight places available.
REGISTER: Here.