UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Increasingly, local governments and communities are managing contentious and rapidly changing issues, according to Penn State Extension educators, who will offer an upcoming webinar focused on dealing with difficult issues.
Organizers note that managing these issues effectively while building trust, increasing community support and commitment, and reaching the best possible decisions are challenges all communities face.
Presenting the 75-minute webinar at noon Aug. 17 will be Neal Fogle, community and economic development extension educator, Peter Wulfhorst, community and economic development extension educator and member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and John Turack, community and economic development extension assistant.
“In today’s information-rich world, it is important for local communities to think about ways to more effectively facilitate discussions that are difficult,” Fogle said. “Local leaders and stakeholders need to think about ways to plan in advance for issues that might be contentious.”
The educators explained that one of the foundations of dealing with difficult issues is building and maintaining trust between community leaders and residents. Effective facilitation, communication and planning can go a long way toward building or restoring trust, they pointed out.
This webinar will cover how to be proactive when dealing with controversial issues and difficult behavior. In addition, participants will learn how to facilitate community discussions in a way that fosters broad and effective participation, greater acceptance, and consensus in decision making.
“Dealing With Difficult Issues” is the second webinar in the monthly Penn State Extension Summer and Fall 2022 Land-Use Webinar Series that runs through November. The series informs municipal elected and appointed officials, planners, landowners, farmers, and community organizations about land-use issues and decisions in their communities.
Other topics and dates in the webinar series include the following:
— July 20: “Planning in Rural Pennsylvania in 2020”
— Sept. 21: “Missing Middle Housing”
— Oct. 19: “Green Corridors, Blue Corridors: Planning to Protect Our Natural Assets”
— Nov. 16: “Hazard Mitigation Planning”
All programs will be recorded and available for future viewing.
The cost of the webinar series is $50 for all five sessions, or $95 for all five sessions for those who want to receive AICP certification-maintenance credits from the American Planning Association. The cost also is $95 for all five sessions for professional engineers needing PDH credits.
In addition, registered landscape architects can receive continuing-education credits for a fee of $65.
For anyone interested in a particular topic from the series, individual session registration is available for a fee of $15 per session.
For more information, contact Peter Wulfhorst at 570-296-3400 or by email at ptw3@psu.edu. To register for the webinars, visit the Penn State Extension website.