Davenport Certificate in Advances Public Engagement for Local Government Goes Virtual for Fall 2020

While in-person offerings, such as the Davenport Institute’s traditional certificate program held twice a year at the Pepperdine University Malibu campus, are difficult to pursue with the rising public health concerns, there is an increasing need for local governments to develop leadership tools and engagement methods for working with residents during this changing world. For this reason, the Davenport Institute will offer its first ever virtual Certificate in Advanced Public Engagement for Local Government October through November 2020. This online offering will consist of a series of short modules designed to prepare local government practitioners with strategies for tackling even the most complex engagement challenges, as well as engagement issues that could arise in these unprecedented times.

To help facilitate networking and to encourage open dialogue, the Institute is limiting the offering to 15 participants per cohort. To meet demand, two cohorts will be run simultaneously. A small cohort will allow for peer-learning, interactive sessions, and plenty of time for exploring questions and challenges unique to each participant’s situation. 

The program will conclude with a Personal Public Engagement Summit where each participant will be matched with a Davenport Institute Advisory Council Member or certificate alumni for coaching on a personal public engagement plan to take back to their agency. This portion of the program will ensure that each and every participant leaves the program with a plan of action that can be taken and directly applied. 

Additionally, upon graduation from the program, participants will join a network for certificate alumni who receive access to several webinars and opportunities held exclusively for certificate alumni throughout the year. Engaging communities and residents is an ongoing responsibility held by practitioners, and our alumni network allows participants to continue their education in engagement best practices even after graduating from the program.

There are still a few spots remaining within the second cohort for the Fall 2020 offering of the Davenport Certificate Program. The cost of the program has been significantly reduced from the traditional in-person offering to $750, allowing accessibility for more local government leaders. The program will consist of a series of five, two-hour modules held over the course of five Friday afternoons from 3-5 pm (PST) via Zoom, beginning October 9, 2020,  and ending November 6, 2020. Each session topic and discussion will include the same timeless public engagement principles offered in our in-person program, but they will be adjusted to meet the very unique needs of this changing, unprecedented time and world. 

To view each session and what it entails in detail, visit the Davenport Institute’s website. To register for the chance to secure one of the few remaining spots in the virtual program, complete the Professional Certificate Application. Public engagement is an emerging field, and with the current, ever-changing world, the Davenport Institute is adapting to meet the needs of local governments and its communities through this new virtual offering.