U.S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION VIDEO TRAINING PROGRAM FACILITATION GUIDE MODULE 7. COMMUNICATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GUIDE Engage the public. Preserve the planet. ------- Module 7 Facilitation Guide Page 1 BEGINNING THE CLASS: Start off the class with a fun and active way of greeting and introducing each other. Below are some ideas. You may run this program over multiple days, so use different exercises to break the ice at the beginning of each session or after lunch. Child to Adult Have each person identify an activity or possession that they loved as a child, and how it reflects their character as an adult. Interviews Pair off students in groups of two, ask people to match up with someone they don't know if possible, have them interview each other (5 minutes each) and then introduce each other to the class. The 15 Second Me Everyone gets exactly 15 seconds to introduce themselves (facilitator keeps time). What do you most want people to know, how to make a good first impression? What's in Your Pocket? Ask everyone to pull something that is important to them or says something about them out of their pocket, wallet, purse, or bag and use it to describe themselves to the class. Connecting Stories Have everyone divide into small groups. The goal is to connect mini stories using post-it notes. Each person must share at least one item that connects to the other mini stories. First player shares an interesting story or memory. The next person can tell a related story that connects some way to the first. And so on. The group with the longest chain of stories win. BEFORE YOU START THE VIDEO: • Explain that we will be going through the materials together, watching a video that helps to present the information, conducting class discussions, and working on exercises together MODULE 7. Communicating With Stakeholders ------- Module 7 Facilitation Guide Page 2 Introduction WORKBOOK PAGE: 1 VIDEO TIMING: start-1:07 SECTION 1: Communicating with Your Stakeholders WORKBOOK PAGES: 2 - 4 VIDEO TIMING: 1:07-7:36 GROUP DISCUSSION Stakeholder Communication WORKBOOK PAGE: 5 VIDEO TIMING: 7:36-8:06 ¦ Pause the video. ¦ Keep track of the conversation and summarize some of the key points made on a flip chart or other board. ¦ Draw out students on these questions, additional questions you might use are included in blue. Think about the 5 basic truths and 10 characteristics just presented and talk about how these relate to your own stakeholder communication. 1. How does this help us to understand communication challenges we have faced in the past? • How have we seen these communication behaviors and what impact have they had on our projects? 2. How might this help us to better prepare for future communication? • How might we respond to these behaviors? • How could we plan to help communicate more effectively? MODULE 7. Communicating With Stakeholders ------- Module 7 Facilitation Guide Page 3 SECTION 2: Stakeholder Communication Behaviors and Skills WORKBOOK PAGES: 6 - 7 VIDEO TIMING: 8:06-14:31 GROUP DISCUSSION Communication Skills and Behaviors WORKBOOK PAGE: 8 VIDEO TIMING: 14:31-15:07 ¦ Pause the video. ¦ Keep track of the conversation and summarize some of the key points made on a flip chart or other board. ¦ Draw out students on these questions, additional questions you might use are included in blue. Think about the skills and behaviors just presented and talk about how these relate to your own staff. 1. How well do we exhibit these behaviors with our stakeholders? 2. What is our current capacity in these basic communication skills? MODULE 7. Communicating With Stakeholders ------- Module 7 Facilitation Guide Page 4 SECTION 3: Key Messages WORKBOOK PAGE: 9 VIDEO TIMING: 15:07-17:47 e GROUP EXERCISE Key Messages WORKBOOK PAGE: 10 VIDEO TIMING: 17:47 - End ¦ Pause the video. ¦ Instruct groups to capture results on flip charts or other materials as available and be ready to present their results to each other. Think back to your case study. 1. Identify three to five key messages that all stakeholders need to know. 2. Identify the language you would use to communicate these messages and how you would make sure they reached all necessary audiences. MODULE 7. Communicating With Stakeholders ------- |