Given the current environmental crises the world is facing, the importance of engaging the public with environmental research has never been higher. High-quality, inclusive environmental engagement can raise awareness, build knowledge, and inspire action and change.
Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) has created the Environmental Engagement in Practice programme. This series of free, practical, day-long events brings people across the sector together, from researchers and policy makers to creative and community practitioners, to explore public engagement with environmental research. Each is tailored around a specific theme, informed by the Insights Report published earlier this year.
The events programme
Through a combination of plenary sessions, interactive workshops, reflective pauses, and networking opportunities, we will explore three key themes:
Public engagement skills (online)
25th May 2022, 10.00 -16.00
This event will focus on practical skills that support public engagement work. All delegates will have the opportunity to participate in an inclusive engagement session, and then choose from a range of practical skills workshops including working with schools, working with policy makers, and creative storytelling.
This workshop is aimed at those who are keen to develop or enhance their public engagement practices, including those who are just starting out.
Registration has now closed for this event.
Ethics of engagement and dealing with controversy (online)
6th September 2022, 10.00-16.00 BST
The ethics of engagement is a critical consideration when planning and delivering your work. This interactive event will explore the ethical considerations needed to do engagement well. Through case studies and discussion, delegates will have the opportunity to explore the nature of controversy, and how these can be managed in an appropriate way. This session will include a reflection on what people value and how values play out when working alongside others.
This workshop is aimed at those with some engagement experience, who are keen to reflect on their own practices, and develop new insights into how to improve their work.
Registration has now closed for this event.
Evaluation, sustainability and making a case (online)
12th January 2023, 10.00-16.00 GMT
This workshop covers three main challenges for those seeing to embed engagement into their work: how to evaluate your programme effectively; if and how to sustain your work; and how to advocate for the value of engagement within your research. These separate but interlinked challenges will be explored through interactive workshops, reflective sessions, and panel discussions.
The event is aimed at anyone who has experienced one or more the challenges listed, who wants to explore options for addressing them in the future. From those with lots of experience of public engagement to those who are just starting out, the workshop will provide opportunities to reflect together and share ideas and perspectives.
Registration has now closed for this event.
Is this event for me?
These events are intended for anyone working with environmental research with an interest in engagement and knowledge exchange. This includes:
- Environmental researchers at any career level (PhD and above; project staff)
- Policy makers working with environmental research / researchers
- Creative and community practitioners working with environmental research
- Others who can demonstrate a connection with environmental research to their work
Each event has a slightly different focus described above.
Contact
Please do get in touch if you have any questions or would like to discuss anything further:
NCCPE contact - Alyssa Chafee, Senior Project Officer (alyssa.chafee@uwe.ac.uk)
NERC contact - Grace Macmillan, Public Engagement Programme Manager (publicengagement@nerc.ukri.org)
The Environmental Engagement in Practice programme was developed as part of the NERC Researcher Engage Academy.