[Ailist] [NCDD-UPDATES] NCDD Austin and other dialogue & deliberation news

[Sandy Heierbacher]

Monthly Update from THATAWAY.ORG  -  Home of the National Coalition  
for Dialogue & Deliberation
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Hi, everybody!  Things are abuzz around here with NCDD Austin right  
around the corner.  If you're planning on joining us at the 2008  
National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation and haven't registered  
yet, don't wait too long.  The price increases on September 12th -  
both for registration and at the conference hotel!

1.  Latest on the 2008 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation
2.  Discounts on Top-Notch Trainings for Paid NCDD Members
3.  New on NCDD's News & Perspectives Blog


1.  Latest on the 2008 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation:  
Creating Cultures of Collaboration (October 3-5 in Austin, TX)

I am so excited about NCDD Austin; we have an amazing event planned  
and hundreds of fantastic people converging in Austin.  I hope you are  
one of them!

It's a tough year for people's budgets, though, so I want you to know,  
first of all, that we still have some scholarship funds available to  
help out those who need it. We'd rather have you there for less money  
than not have you at all, so please complete the scholarship  
application at www.thataway.org/aa58f3 asap if you need help.

NCDD conferences are highly participatory (no keynotes and no  
traditional, dry panels), highly innovative (we try new things each  
year that are often imitated by other groups) and highly accessible  
(regular registration is only $375, which is about half of what  
comparable events cost). But the best thing about our conferences, by  
far, is the people. NCDD events draw the most intelligent, kind- 
hearted, positive, and thoughtful people I've ever encountered, and  
they're what make our gatherings great.

NCDD's biennial conference brings together hundreds of facilitators,  
mediators, trainers, consultants, public leaders, educators,  
organizational development professionals and others who believe that  
better communication is key to addressing the critical issues facing  
organizations, communities, and society.  At NCDD, you will experience  
cutting-edge approaches to group process, community building and  
communication methods. National experts in dialogue and deliberation  
will share their latest thinking and you will be exposed to numerous  
practical tools and methodologies that you can use immediately.

Here are a few things I'd like you to know about...

a.  Phenomenal Workshops - www.thataway.org/events/?page_id=158

Offered by leaders in the field, our workshops address the issues,  
challenges and questions most relevant to your work. Learn how War on  
Terror veterans are using dialogue for healing and empowerment. Help  
the U.S. Institute of Environmental Conflict Resolution design a long- 
range citizen engagement process to restore the ecosystem of one of  
America’s great rivers. Learn how to attract more conservatives to  
dialogue events. Explore with change experts how D&D contributes to  
social change. Learn about Deaf Culture and how to work with  
interpreters and Deaf participants. And that’s just a taste of the  
great workshops you’ll choose from.

b.  NCDD Austin's Youth Dialogue Project - www.thataway.org/events/?p=178

Sponsored by the Rockrose Institute, the Youth Dialogue Project will  
ensure that the voices of young leaders are included in creative and  
innovative ways. Three separate youth-related sessions will build on  
each other during the conference, cultivating mentorship and  
generational leadership in the NCDD community.

c.  Post-Conference Disaster and Crisis Intervention Training - www.thataway.org/events/?page_id=107

NCDD Austin Co-Sponsor the Global Facilitator Service Corps is  
offering a special two-day training right after the conference  
(October 6th and 7th). This in-depth training is a great opportunity  
for practitioners to learn how to respond quickly and efficiently to  
disasters.


A few more quick links...

- conference program - www.thataway.org/events/?page_id=113
- featured speakers - www.thataway.org/events/?page_id=156 (including  
Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Bill Isaacs, Frances Moore Lappe and David Campt)
- registration details - www.thataway.org/events/?page_id=136  
(including student discounts, scholarship info, group discounts, etc.)
- conference blog - www.thataway.org/events/?page_id=5 (updates on  
planning, logistical info, ways to get involved, etc.)

NCDD 2008 is co-sponsored by the Public Conversations Project,  
Austin's Bluebonnet Hills Christian Church, the Institute for Civic  
Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University, the Forum  
Foundation, the Democracy Imperative, the LBJ Presidential Library,  
the Global Facilitator Service Corps, and Regis University's Institute  
on the Common Good. Our Partners include Everyday Democracy, Envision  
Central Texas and Hal Saunders.

Learn more about the 2008 NCDD conference, which will take place  
October 3-5 in Austin, Texas, at www.thataway.org/ncdd2008

Hope to see you there!


2.  Discounts on Top-Notch Trainings for Paid NCDD Members

NCDD members who pay the full membership fee (only $50 for individuals  
or $100 for orgs!) can take advantage of discounted rates for dozens  
of upcoming trainings offered by our partners (listed below). Many of  
the discounts save you hundreds of dollars. Go to www.thataway.org/discounts 
  for more details on our partners' trainings - including cost and how  
to register. Or go to www.thataway.org/join to become one of our paid  
members and benefit from these great discounts.

- Alchemy’s Graphic Recording Classes
- Bay Area Nonviolent Communication’s Living Peace Intensive  
Residential Retreats
- Breakthroughs UNLIMITED Trainings:
- The Center for Strategic Facilitation Trainings. Center for Wise  
Democracy’s Dynamic Facilitation trainings:
- Certificate Program in Dialogue, Deliberation & Public Engagement
- Co-Creative Stakeholder Engagement Workshop
- The Collaboration Imperative: Large Group Design Skills for Leaders  
and Consultants
- Community at Work’s Group Facilitation Skills Training
- Dialogue Partners Trainings
- Future Search Workshops
- Harwood Public Innovators Lab
- IAP2 Certificate Course in Public Participation
- Leadership Strategies’ The Effective Facilitator Course
- Louise Diamond’s Advanced Training Program for Change Agents
- National Charrette Institute Trainings and Certificates
- PublicDecisions.com Online Trainings
- Public Conversations Project Trainings


3.  Headlines from the News & Perspectives Blog

Sorry - we've neglected the blog a bit because we're so focused on  
conference planning. If you are used to going to the blog to stay  
updated on news, job openings, funding news, etc. related to public  
engagement and conflict resolution, you should join NCDD. We've been  
posting much of what usually going on the blog in the NCDD Discussion  
list because it's quicker, and when you join we'll add you this this  
list.

I'd like to point out a couple of the blog posts we did get to,  
though...

- National League of Cities Job Opening: Democratic Governance Project  
Manager (this one's right up our alley)

- Editor(s) Needed for International Journal of Public Participation  
(although the pay isn't much, this is a great opportunity for the  
right person)

- Traces of the Trade Premieres June 24th on PBS (this documentary  
about the legacy of the slave trade is amazing, and I'm pointing it  
out because some Traces reps are showing it at NCDD Austin and doing a  
series of race workshops as well)


As always, email me at sandy at thataway.org with announcements for the  
blog or to inquire about partnership opportunities. Thataway.org now  
receives an average of 3,000 visitors a day (page views are many times  
that), so it's worth it to make sure your news is up on the blog and  
your resources are in the Learning Exchange.

Good luck with all you are doing!

Best,
Sandy

Sandy Heierbacher
Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD)

Web: www.thataway.org
Email: sandy at thataway.org

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The "dialogue and deliberation community" is a rapidly growing  
community of practice dedicated to solving group and societal problems  
through honest talk, quality thinking and collaborative action. NCDD  
provides the infrastructure needed in this community so we can work  
together to increase both our individual and our collective impact.

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opportunities for the dialogue & deliberation community, send a blank  
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