U.S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION VIDEO
TRAINING PROGRAM

FACILITATION GUIDE

MODULE 2.'
SITUATION ASSESSMENTS
FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

PUBLIC



PARTICIPATION
GUIDE

Engage the public. Preserve the planet.


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Module 2 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 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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Module 2 Facilitation Guide

Page 2

Introduction

WORKBOOK PAGE: 1
VIDEO TIMING: start - 0:39

SECTION 2.1:

Introduction to Situation Assessments

WORKBOOK PAGE: 2
VIDEO TIMING: 0:39-2:34

SECTION 2.2:

What is a Stakeholder?

WORKBOOK PAGE: 3
VIDEO TIMING: 2:34-4:39

SECTION 2.3:

Stages and Outcomes of Situation Assessments
WORKBOOK PAGE: 4
VIDEO TIMING: 4:39-5:30

SECTION 2.4:

Stage 1. Internal Situation Assessment
WORKBOOK PAG: 5
VIDEO TIMING: 5:30-7:35

MODULE 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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Module 2 Facilitation Guide

Page 3

GROUP DISCUSSION

Stage 1. Internal Situation Assessment

WORKBOOK PAGE: 6
VIDEO TIMING: 7:35-8:45

¦	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

What are the advantages to articulating the project goals, scope, process, and timeline
up front?

How does this help us to plan our projects more effectively?

What are we doing now and how could we do a better job to communicate these items
both internally and to our stakeholders?

How do we plan for projects, do we talk to internal stakeholders as part of the

Which of the outcomes above might be challenging for us to define and/or discuss?
How might we overcome these challenges?

Refer to the outcomes on page 5 of the workbook

Can we effectively engage all of our internal stakeholders? If not, what are the
challenges we face and how might we overcome them?

Who are the internal stakeholders we most need to reach? Howe can be be sure
to have the conversations we need?

blue.

process?

MODULE 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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Module 2 Facilitation Guide

Page 4

SECTION 2.5:

Stage 2. External Situation Assessment
WORKBOOK PAGE: 7
VIDEO TIMING: 8:45-11:25

GROUP DISCUSSION

Stage 2. External Situation Assessment

WORKBOOK PAGE: 8
VIDEO TIMING: 11:25-12:10

¦	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.

How well do we generally understand the full diversity of our stakeholder communities?
Do we make this a priority, why is it important?

What gaps do we generally have in our understanding?

Which stakeholders are often missing from our projects, why?

What kinds of activities would be required to identify the full range of stakeholders and
stakeholder groups that could be impacted by the project and should be engaged,
including vulnerable stakeholders typically marginalized?

Where are the stakeholders we are missing and how do we best reach them?
What are the impediments and challenges that prevent us from talking to our
stakeholders?

MODULE 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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Module 2 Facilitation Guide

Page 5

SECTION 2.6:

Conducting the Situation Assessment
WORKBOOK PAGES: 9-13
VIDEO TIMING: 12:10-19:39

GROUP DISCUSSION

Stakeholders

WORKBOOK PAGE: 14
VIDEO TIMING: 19:39-20:15

¦	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.

What do you think is most important to learn in the external situation assessment?
What do we most want to know about our stakeholders?

What are the most surprising things we learn from our stakeholders?

What additional questions do you think would be important for many of your projects?
Review the questions on page 13, what else would we like to learn from our
stakeholders?

MODULE 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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Module 2 Facilitation Guide

Page 6

SECTION 2.7:

Using the Results of Your Situation Assessment
WORKBOOK PAGES: 15-16
VIDEO TIMING: 20:15-23:06

o

GROUP EXERCISE

Design a Situation Assessment

WORKBOOK PAGE: 17
VIDEO TIMING: 23:06 - 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.

¦	This is a case study exercise, there will always be a lack of information, instruct them to
just make assumptions regarding any missing data.

Work in teams of four to five people. Select a project that you would like to consider
for public participation and ensure that everyone in the group knows something about
the project and the community of stakeholders. Conduct the following activities:

Help them identify a case that everyone knows or can be easily described

Design Key Components of the Stage 1 Internal Assessment

1.	Identify all internal stakeholders that should be interviewed.

2.	Identify any challenges that you expect in conducting interviews with internal
stakeholders in general and any specific stakeholders that may be hard to reach.
Identify strategies for overcoming these challenges.

3.	Identify the key outcomes that you want to achieve through the internal
assessment for this project. Remember to focus on what you need to learn in
order to design the external assessment and the overall public participation
project.

4.	Develop the questions you would like to ask your internal stakeholders as part of
this process.

MODULE 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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Module 2 Facilitation Guide

Page 7

Design Key Components of the Stage 2 External Assessment

1.	Identify the range of perspectives you need to reach in the community in
conducting your external stakeholder interviews.

2.	Identify what you would like to learn from your stakeholders.

3.	Develop the questions you would like to ask your external stakeholders as part
of this process.

MODULE 2. Situation Assessments for Public Participation '


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