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March 28, 2024
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EPA
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Designing and Managing Effective Community Advisory Groups (CAGs)
Intermediate Level Training
Hosted by U.S. EPA, Community Involvement and Program Initiatives Branch
Community Involvement University (CIU)

What is the course overview?
Community advisory groups can be the heart of higher-level public participation programs under the Superfund program, but often fail to achieve a common approach or vision to assist EPA decision-makers. This course looks at what makes advisory groups work and provides participants with the knowledge and skills they need to convene healthy, functional boards.

Who should take this course?
This course is recommended for EPA staff or managers (e.g., CIC’s RPM’s, OSC’s) who work directly with CAGs or are considering developing a CAG at their site. There are no prerequisites for this course.

What are the course learning objectives?

Participants who complete this course will gain skills on how to:

  • Understand advisory groups;
  • Make the determination where advisory groups are appropriate;
  • Use the keys to making advisory groups work;
  • Avoid the common mistakes that lead to dysfunctional boards;
  • Convene a balanced, responsible membership;
  • Distinguish the roles of members, sponsors, chairpersons, and facilitators;
  • Create a mission, charter, and ground rules;
  • Pay attention to detail: getting the small things right; and
  • Seek and achieve consensus.

What are the logistics?
The two day course agenda is a highly interactive mix of facilitated discussion, video, and small and larger group discussion. Recommended course size is 12-30 participants.

Doug Sarno of The Participation Company (TPC) teaches this course. He developed the course and is a civil engineer with more than 30 years of experience in Superfund and environmental cleanup. He has devoted much of his career to improving environmental decision-making and effectively engaging diverse groups of stakeholders in complex and controversial decisions.

TPC offers a wide range of courses on public participation, collaboration, communication, conflict resolution and facilitation tailored specifically to EPA and the Superfund program. These courses are designed as stand-alone events or combined in many configurations to create a customized program of instruction for groups or teams. All training is highly interactive and includes a wide variety of real-life lessons. Focus is on providing real, practical skills that EPA program managers, communicators and community relations professionals will apply immediately.

Is there available background material?

  • Participants receive a detailed course workbook.
For general information contact Tina Conley by telephone at 703-603-0696 or via e-mail at conley.tina@epa.gov

 Upcoming Events

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Previous Events (click to view/hide)
Bullet  Atlanta, GA
  February 21, 2017 - February 22, 2017
Bullet  San Francisco, CA
  September 13, 2016 - September 14, 2016
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