Facilitation and Communication Skills Training Course St. Louis Zoo, Dec. 2-5, 2013
Course Description CBSG is an international conservation organization whose mission is to "transform passionate commitment to wildlife into effective conservation." Through our experience conducting over 200 conservation assessments and population viability analysis workshops, we have repeatedly found the need for expert facilitation skills, group dynamics instruction, and conflict resolution training. This four-day interactive course will provide conservation program managers with an opportunity to learn and practice essential facilitation skills, including decision making, team formation and management, conflict resolution, communication skills, consensus building, and cross-cultural sensitivity. The course will include lectures, case studies, and significant time to practice facilitation skills. This course is being hosted by the St. Louis Zoo and co-organized by CBSG, CBSG North America, and the St. Louis Zoo. Potential Participants This course is targeted toward those wanting to become more skilled at developing skills necessary to facilitate successful conservation planning. Not only will participants be able to apply these newly developed skills within their own professional fields, but we envision this training course will increase the pool of experienced facilitators who may contribute to future CBSG workshops. Participation is limited to 20 individuals. Instructors Onnie Byers, Ph.D., IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group Kathy Traylor-Holzer, Ph.D., IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group Phil Miller, Ph.D., IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group Susie Ellis, Ph.D., International Rhino Foundation (Tentative) Jamie Copsey, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Dates This course will be held 2-5 Dec. 2013. Participants should plan to arrive on the evening of 1 Dec. The course will finish at 5:00 pm on Dec. 5. Participants are asked to remain through the end of the course. Logistics/Costs The course fee ($500 early registration until Oct. 1; $550 after Oct. 1) will cover all course materials, an ice-breaker on the evening of Dec. 1st, breakfasts and lunches during the 4-day course and transport from the hotel to the zoo and return each day. Transportation to and from St. Louis and lodging are the responsibility of the participant and are not included in the course fee. A block of rooms is being held at the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel, cost is $99/room/night for a single or double. The Sheraton provides free airport shuttle service and free self-parking. Further information about the hotel and reservations will be provided upon confirmation of your registration. More Information and Registration Forms For more information about the course contact [email protected]. Registration forms are available at cbsg.org. Payment is due upon confirmation of your registration. Philip Nyhus, Co-Convener, CBSG North America Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Colby College
