Public Deliberation In-Service Training

My colleagues and I participate in a mock
public forum on rising food costs

We are challenged with many tough issues at all levels of our society these days, yet we don't always come together to weigh our options to try and solve them. As an extension agent, I have the opportunity to help guide communities through this process.  I spent the last day and a half in Hillsborough County participating in an in-service training on public deliberation (PD). What is PD, you ask? Public deliberation is the means by which citizens make tough choices about basic purposes and directions for their communities and their country-its a way of reasoning and talking together. PD is not about debating who is right or wrong or simply having a conversation about a particular issue. It is a process to weigh the benefits and costs of various options based on what is truly valuable to the members of a community. It is also about considering the views of others even though they might not be the same as yours.

My colleagues and I were fortunate enough to have faculty from Michigan State University Extension, who are experts in PD, offer the day and half training session for us. Needless to say, I'm not an expert on the topic now, but the opportunity did open my eyes to a new method/process of getting my stakeholders involved in their community.

My colleagues and I  participate in an exercise
that illustrates how different personality types
can affect group dynamics.