Running Effective Online Engagement Sessions

In a repeat of this excellent training programme - designed for researchers working in knowledge exchange and public engagement with research - our colleagues at Stickydot will be delivering a practical three-part course on running effective online engagement sessions. 

In bite-size, interactive Zoom workshops you’ll develop relevant skills to design and run online participatory workshops and dialogue events, with plenty of time for discussion and sharing of experiences. The sessions draw on existing good practice and research findings both within our sector and further afield.

Inclusion in Digital Engagement: 10:00-12:00 9th June 2022 
How do we ensure we are adapting our online workshops to the needs of our participants? In this session, we will focus on aspects of inclusion online. We will reflect on how we make spaces where participants from a whole range of backgrounds and profiles feel comfortable and safe to engage. How do we adapt our sessions to specific groups and their needs? What training is required and how do we make sure that participation is not limited due to lack of digital literacy?

● Exploring barriers to inclusion related to a range of factors including age, learning difficulties, socioeconomic background, physical disabilities, mental health issues, language.
● Principles of inclusion and how to address barriers
● Breakout session where participants have a chance to explore their own challenges related to inclusion

Facilitation Skills Online: 10:00-12:00 16th June 2022
This is a chance to work on the skills required to facilitate an online workshop. Even if we are not in the same room, certain techniques can help to ensure a constructive atmosphere where everyone’s voice is equal. We will explore and test out a range of approaches that we can take as facilitators to break the ice, energise the group, brainstorm ideas and come to consensus. We will also look at facilitation methods to deal with particularly challenging situations such as conflict or lack of participation. Which in-person techniques translate well to the online environment and which do we need to adapt?

● Tips on online facilitation
● Energisers, ice-breakers, check-ins
● Moderating a discussion online
● Brainstorming and reaching consensus online
● Breakout sessions where participants have a chance to get feedback on their facilitation skills through group reflection

Digital Tools for Online Workshops: 10:00-12:00 23rd June 2022
Here we will explore a range of tools for online engagement, both for one-off workshops where the participants have not necessarily worked together before, and for longer-term engagements. Zoom, Jitsi, Hangouts - which platform is best for what context? What about Google Docs or more sophisticated tools like Miro and Mural to help us engage stakeholder groups in co-design and deliberation processes? What should we take into account when engaging mixed stakeholder groups alongside the public? We’ll open up discussion around our findings and offer you a chance to test a selection of tools and platforms during the workshop.

● Tools for workshops/events
● Tools for longer participatory processes
● Individually facilitated breakout sessions where participants have a chance to try out a range of tools

Places are limited and priority will be given to research staff who can commit to attending all three sessions. If any places remain they will be made available to post graduate research students and/or those who have expressed interest in attending a selection of the sessions. 

Please register your interest no later than 29th May 2022. You will then be contacted to confirm if a place is available. 

Register your interest