Sometimes we see an issue before it becomes apparent and we then try to raise awareness through education and help facilitate change. Sometimes we are asked to help expedite discussion and bring in the facts when the community has identified the issue. Public Issues Education Cooperative Extension is often in the position to bring professionals and concerned citizens together in order to address family or community issues. We often provide research based information as well as facilitate deliberative discussion so that people with different view points can come together to solve problems. We do this by offering Issue Forums or Leadership Development Programs.
Topics vary depending on issues identified by community members.
This series of open town forums brought people together to discussion four potential options of how to address this issue. Participants engaged in conversation, weighed pros and cons of each choice, and left with a better understanding of the complexity of making the hard decisions that benefit Delawareans and their divergent view points. Family and Community Leadership Training Training is offered to community members who are interested in improving their skills in the areas of issue identification, community involvement and participation in the political process. NIF is technique used to engage citizens in structured discussion that encourages them to deliberate 3-4 choice solutions to an issue. The choices are determined by research and reflect differing values.