[OSList] Invitation to join us next Weds for an "NCDD Confab call" with Rich Harwood

[Sandy Heierbacher]

Hi, folks!

The National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) holds interactive conference calls with our members and potential members (i.e. anyone whose work involves dialogue, deliberation or group process).  August's "confab call" is happening next Wednesday from 2:00 to 3:30 Eastern, and you're welcome to join us while there's still spots available.

For this next confab call, our guest speaker is Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.  Rich is kind of a superstar in the public innovation / community problem solving / engagement realm.  He'll be talking to us about his recent work helping community leaders in Newtown, CT decide what to do with the elementary school where the shootings took place last December. He'll also be talking with us about his groundbreaking work in general.

Register for this confab at http://ncdd.org/confabreg-aug2013 if you'd like to join us!  Membership in NCDD is not required, and the call is FREE.  Full announcement below.

Sandy Heierbacher
Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation
sandy at ncdd.org • www.ncdd.org • @ncdd & @heierbacher


Registration open for Aug 7th Confab call with Rich Harwood
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Posted by Sandy Heierbacher  |  July 22nd, 2013 

We have a special guest lined up for our August confab call — Rich Harwood, president and founder of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation in Bethesda, Maryland. The call will take place on Wednesday, August 7th, from 2:00 to 3:30 Eastern (11-12:30 Pacific), and registration is now open!

Earlier this year, Rich was asked to facilitate a series of meetings in Newtown, CT to help the grieving city decide what to do with Sandy Hook Elementary School, site of the horrific mass murder of children and school personnel last December. We’ve asked Rich to talk to NCDD members about his work in Newtown, and the broader work he and his colleagues are doing at the Harwood Institute for Public Engagement. (Read the amazing story here.)

He brought 25 years of experience to the task in Newtown. Through community conversations, constant innovation, and nationwide research, The Harwood Institute has developed an approach that’s helped cities, organizations, and individuals “Turn Outward” and build on public aspirations to get things done for the common good. Rich has worked in struggling communities such as Newark, Detroit, and Flint, Michigan and has created a group of “Beacon Communities” to develop a critical mass of public innovators. He’s partnered with influential organizations like United Way Worldwide, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the American Library Association in order to enhance their relevance and impact in the communities they serve.

His latest book, The Work of Hope, asserts that fixing our politics shouldn’t be our top priority. “The central task in our society is to restore belief in ourselves and one another that we can get things done, together.” It was that philosophy which guided Rich’s work in Newtown and brought about an emotional, yet harmonious, decision.

NCDDs’s “Confab calls” provide opportunities for members to connect with each other, hear about exciting projects in our field, and explore our most difficult challenges. And since many of you may be hosting and facilitating conversations on mental health as part of the White House’s initiative, we hope you’ll sign up and benefit from the conversation about Rich’s experiences in Newtown.

Register for the August 7th Confab today to reserve your spot!

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