Deliberation Facilitator Training

The Deliberative Citizenship Initiative is excited to host a deliberation facilitator training open to all Davidson students, faculty, and staff, as well as to members of the wider community. This 8-hour training, spread across two days, will equip participants with skills and knowledge to improve their ability to facilitate difficult discussions about political and social issues among people who may have different backgrounds, values, and perspectives.

Such facilitation requires a commitment to ongoing learning and practice, but the DCI hopes this training will lay the foundation for well-trained facilitators to begin fostering more honest, respectful, and productive discourse in their communities.

Participants in the training can expect to:

• Explore deliberation as an alternative to the non-constructive cross talk that has come to dominate our public discourse

• Learn how to host and organize welcoming and well-defined deliberative events

• Learn facilitation approaches and skills that help deliberation participants adopt deliberative dispositions and skills that enable meaningful deliberations

• Become better facilitators of both formal and informal discussions of difficult topics

• Establish a community of individuals dedicated to creating more productive discourse

Successful completion of the training program will involve some pre-reading as well as full and active participation in group discussions, deliberation simulations, and other learning activities. Participants who fully complete the training program will be certified to serve as DCI Deliberation Facilitators for deliberative forums and other deliberation-involved events. Participants will also be able to translate the skills they learn to a variety of other contexts - from informal conversations among friends and family to contentious discussions within the workplace.

The training program sessions will occur Sunday, September 11th at the Hurt Hub at Davidson College and Saturday, September 17th in the 900 Room at the Alvarez College Union from 1:30 to 5:30 pm. Registration is required, and both sessions are required for completion of the program. Given the limited space, please only sign up if you can attend BOTH sessions.

The training will take place in-person at Davidson College, but a limited number of off-site individuals will also be able to participate through virtual and breakout room integration. However, in-person participation is highly recommended.

If you are available and interested, please sign up on Eventbrite by Tuesday, September 6th. Space is limited, however, so you are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact the DCI at [email protected] with any questions about the training program.

Host or Publisher Deliberative Citizenship Initiative