Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration & Engagement: A Risk Worth Taking

Wednesday August 26, 12:00-1:30 pm ET

Register Now! (Deadline to register is August 24, 11:59 pm ET)

Karen R. Wianecki, M.Pl., MCIP, RPP, Planning Solutions Inc.

This session will explore the value of collaboration and engagement as a critical component of effective conflict management. Engaging multiple parties in dialogue about the issues that matter, frequently offers an opportunity to reduce risk and produce better outcomes. ADR practitioners often find themselves involved in conflicts, particularly public conflicts, which have escalated and in some cases, spiraled out of control. Avoid conflict in the first place through effective engagement and collaboration - an extremely valuable approach to issues management. This session will focus on providing participants with an understanding of the following:

The nature of public disputes and the spiral of unmanaged conflict
How engagement differs from consultation
The benefits and value of an engagement paradigm
The role of the convergence facilitator
Tips, Tools & Techniques for:
- Running Great Meetings & Achieving Great Results
- Effective Convergence Facilitation
- Engaging Stakeholders & Shareholders (Rights Holders)
- Managing Challenging Behaviour
- Managing Difficult Conversations
Recognizing the Trap of Too Much Engagement

Download the flyer: Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Engagement

Karen R. Wianecki, M.Pl., MCIP, RPP, Planning Solutions Inc.

Karen Wianecki is a professional planner, mediator and facilitator who specializes in community and stakeholder engagement. Karen holds an undergraduate specialist degree in Geography from the University of Toronto and a Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning from Queen’s University. She studied environmental mediation through the Harvard Mediation Project, received Advanced ADR accreditation through the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor as well as specialized training in Stakeholder Engagement through SFU. Karen is one of two Canadian mediators on the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution Roster as well as the Native Sub- Roster based in Tucson, Arizona and is a Settlement Conference Facilitator for the Ontario Energy Board. In addition, Karen is one of the founding members of the Canadian Centre for Conflict Management (CCCM).

Karen spent sixteen years of her career with the Ontario Public Service, working for the Ministries of Municipal Affairs, Housing and Natural Resources as a planner and policy advisor, Cabinet Committee Coordinator, Manager of Strategic Planning and Coordinator of Ontario’s first environmental dispute resolution program where she oversaw the work of 21 mediators and 8 arbitrators, Province wide. Karen left the OPS in 2000 to establish Planning Solutions Inc., a professional consulting practice devoted to community and stakeholder engagement, facilitation, public policy development and environmental issues management.

Through her consulting practice, Karen has had the pleasure of working closely with numerous public and private sector clients here in Ontario as well as in Western Canada. Karen has worked extensively with Aboriginal organizations and communities, Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments, special interest and environmental non-government organizations, industry, and business as well as communities and residents on a range of contentious issues. Karen subscribes to the notion that process is as important as product. She is of the view that engaging governments (at all levels), industry and communities builds trust and creates social capital. Co-creative collaboration, properly designed and facilitated, leads to innovation and learning which in turn can produce results that are truly remarkable.

Professional Development Accreditation:

ADRIC designation holders earn 3 Continuing Education & Engagement (CEE) points
CPD accreditation received to date for this webinar (pending from other Law Societies across Canada):
- Law Society of British Columbia: 1.5 hours
- Law Society of New Brunswick: 1.5 hours
- Law Society of Ontario: This program contains 45 minutes of Professionalism Content.
- Law Society of Saskatchewan: 1.5 hours