Advanced Certificate in Engagement Techniques
In partnership with
Entry requirement: Open to all.Â
The Advanced Certificate in Engagement Techniques is a comprehensive programme designed to equip participants with the techniques for effectively engaging diverse audiences across various contexts. Whether you’re in statutory public service delivery, business, or the social sector, this course will provide you with the knowledge and tools to drive collaborative decision-making.
Key Learning Objectives
• Reframing community engagement and understanding the principles underlying various strengths-based engagement techniques
• Explore a collection of approaches for building strong, inclusive communities and driving positive social change through collaborative initiatives
• Assess the effectiveness of your engagement efforts in relation to your organisational values and strategyÂ
Who should enrol?
• Professionals seeking to enhance their ability to engage stakeholders, service users, clients, or teams
• Facilitators interested in improving learner engagement and participation using different dialogical and/or deliberative techniques
• Organisers, officers, and those involved in engagement and advocacy efforts
• Anyone looking to strengthen their professional practice by adding some new tools to their toolbox
Course curriculum
Phase One - Framing your engagement and the underlying principles
The reasons why we engage | Virtual Instructor-led
Begin the programme with a welcome from the tutor who will deliver an overview of the programme, the learning outcomes and course requirements. Start your learning by establishing:
• What we mean by engagement
• Why we engage
• Key principles
• Framing the purpose of your engagement
Top tips for getting started with engagement | e-Learning
Establish a core baseline understanding for engagement principles and rationale. Â Explore what best practice pre-requisites are needed when getting started with any engagement experience, ensuring that you have laid the foundations for getting started.
Reflective Learning
Begin to record your reflections and knowledge through your student learning log which will form part of your assessment at the end of the programme. It is intended for you to demonstrate your ability to compare different engagement techniques and distinguish the merits of which ones to use. It is also helpful to capture key insights gained from your peers and note experiences to discuss in shared learning environments.Â
Phase Two - Developing your engagement technique toolbox
Learn about key inclusive dialogue methods and tools to support engagement through a series of expert-led teaching workshops. Hosted online in an interactive environment, the workshop uses online tools to support the session, but also demonstrates how they can be used to support engagement activities. Delve in to the practicalities and focus on how to implement each technique successfully:-
World Cafes
Citizens’ Assemblies
Appreciative Inquiry
Participatory Budgeting
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Engagement
Continue your learning through self-guided resources and find out more about tools to support engagement:-
Explainer videos on ‘what, where, when?’Â
Top tips on how to implement
Key Ingredients for Strong Facilitation | e-Learning
Reflective Learning
Continue to record your reflections on the learning and your perspectives on how you might apply these techniques in practice.
Group Tutorial
Tutor-supported design session for the cohort to evaluate the learning so far and discuss the preferred techniques over others in preparation for phase three.Â
Phase Three - Applied learning in practice
Tutor support
A one hour personal tutorial to support and guide you with your assessments.
Assessment One
Create a business case (hypothetical or real) to persuade your organisation to use a particular technique you have learned about on this programme.
Assessment Two
Complete your student learning log that demonstrates your learning and ability to evaluate best suited approaches for engagement activities.
Runs between 2 October – 11 December 2024
Schedule
The reasons why we engage
2 October | 10.00 – 12.30
Top tips for getting started with engagement
Accessible from 2 October
e-Learning
Workshop: World Cafes
9 October | 10.00 – 12.30
Workshop:Â Citizens’ Assemblies
16 October | 10.00 – 12.30
Workshop:Â Appreciative Inquiry
23 October | 10.00 – 12.30
Workshop:Â Participatory Budgeting
30 October | 10.00 – 12.30
Workshop:Â Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Engagement
6 November | 10.00 – 12.30
Key Ingredients for Strong Facilitation
Accessible from 7 November
e-Learning
Group Tutorial
13 November | 9.30 – 12.30
Assessment Project
Begins 14 November
Tutor Support –Â 1:1 Day (1)
21 November | Ad hoc
Tutor Support –Â 1:1 Day (2)
28 November | Ad hoc
Your Subject Matter Experts
-
Susan Ritchie
Susan Ritchie
Expertise:
• Facilitating collective outcomes from diverse groups
• Strengths based engagement techniques (Appreciative Inquiry, Participatory Budgeting, World cafes etc)
•Citizens' Assemblies and Codesign Deliberative Dialogue
Expert in:
• Councils
• Policing
• NHS
Experience:
Citizen participation in decision making is at the heart of Susan's career. Her personal experience of observing inequality of participation, and its negative impact on people's lives, focused her mind on how we could better address the unintended consequences of well intentioned policy in the UK.
She created the first degree in Citizenship (the blend of politics and education and community studies), conducted the first systematic review of Citizenship in Education, and used that learning to teach, train and support public sector colleagues in strengths based techniques. She has held senior positions in local government and central government, and shares her practice through publications or conference workshops.
Her work over the past 11 years has been steeped in practice, Directing MutualGain and supporting the Consultation Institute as an Associate and Associate Board Member. She is an RSA fellow and was the Chair of the Participatory Budgeting Network for three years Government 1% commitment to PB. -
Peter McColl
Peter McColl
Expertise:
• Training and advice and guidance on participation and engagement
• Including citizens in decision making
Expert in:
• Participation, engagement, involvement and consultation
• Digital and data-led approaches to policy and consultation
• Environment, economy and innovation
Experience:
• 20 years of experience in public policy, participation and engagement
• Former Head of Policy, Nesta Scotland and Rector of Edinburgh University
• Royal Society of Edinburgh Covid 19 Commissioner
Got a question about the engagement techniques programme?
Our dedicated team is on hand to assist with any questions you might have.
