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Certificate in Public Participation

About the Certificate in Public Participation

Level up your public participation (P2) and engagement skills with IAP2 Canada's Certificate in Public Participation (P2). Designed by experts, this certificate will empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to excel and succeed in your P2 and engagement activities.

How Does the Certificate Work?

To successfully complete this professional development certificate, learners must take 3 (three) of the 4 (four) core courses on the IAP2 Canada learning pathway - Fundamentals of Public Participation and Engagement (for Level 1 practitioners) or IAP2 Way in Challenging Contexts (for Level 2 practitioners) plus Designing Public Participation & Engagement and Applying Methods. Designed based on IAP2's internationally renowned Global Learning Pathway, this certificate program brings together the very best public participation practices and engagement from around the world! With approximately 30 hours of immersive learning, you'll walk away feeling like a pro in the field of public participation and engagement. Once you complete the full program, you'll proudly earn the prestigious IAP2 Canada Certificate in Public Participation.

Not sure where to start on the learning pathway or have more questions about the Certificate in P2? Explore the description and learn where to start or check out our frequently asked questions.

This professional development certificate program is an essential step on your journey to becoming a seasoned P2 professional. It's different from the IAP2 Canada designations (CP3 & MCP3), but is an absolute must for anyone serious about excelling in this field! It is important to note that participants of the Certificate in Public Participation are not certified P2 professionals. Learn more about how to become a certified P2 professional.

Our Core Program Courses

Below you'll find our core program courses for IAP2 Canada's Certificate in P2. Looking for additional training opportunities? Our comprehensive learning pathway provides P2 champions, and those wanting to become P2 champions, with additional opportunities for level-based learning. Continue your learning journey in public participation and engagement and seize the opportunity to help advance your learning and career growth through our thoughtfully curated selection of additional course offerings.

Explore Our Learning Pathway

Fundamentals of Public Participation and Engagement

Prerequisite for Designing P2 and Engagement and Applying Methods (for Level 1 Practitioners) - Learn More

Fundamentals of Public Participation (P2) and Engagement is a Level 1 course that focuses on understanding and applying the practices of meaningful and effective public participation. The training explores principles, concepts and best practices, and how to design and apply this knowledge to your public participation and engagement work.

Who should take this course?

New practitioners beginning their journey in P2/engagement
Anyone working in the field or a related field who wants to understand and apply the fundamentals of meaningful and effective public participation and engagement practice

IAP2 Way in Challenging Contexts

Prerequisite for Designing P2 and Engagement and Applying Methods (for Level 2 Practitioners) - Learn More

The IAP2 Way in Challenging Contexts is Level 2 course that sets out the underpinning models and frameworks of public participation and engagement practice as defined by the IAP2 community. Specifically in terms of what it is, who is involved, standards of practice, and why it is important to be practiced ethically and effectively. Participants will explore these concepts and models in contexts that are challenging and will gain skills and knowledge to apply to their work. This course is suitable for practitioners who already have substantial experience in public participation and engagement practice work and are ready to be leading this work with others (2-5 years).

Who should take this course?

Practitioners who already have some breadth of experience with public participation and engagement practice, and they are:

leading the planning and implementation of public participation and engagement practice processes, or
managing teams and planning operations where there is some risk and complexity
managing key relationships for the public participation and engagement practice processes, be able to troubleshoot, fix problems and implement change in processes as they are needed
working as a consultant in the sector leading the public participation and engagement practice processes

Designing Public Participation and Engagement

Fundamentals of P2/engagement or Challenging Contexts are prerequisites for this course - Learn More

Designing Public Participation and Engagement is a Level 2 course that introduces practitioners to the design and plan phases of the practice framework, providing them with the opportunity to develop public participation and engagement practice plans. This includes scoping, community mapping, determining purpose and objectives and levels of influence, choosing appropriate methods and managing resources, while considering the needs of diverse audiences.

Who should take this course?

Practitioners who are leading the planning and implementation of public participation and engagement practice processes
Participants who will be involved in the design and planning of public participation and engagement practice processes

Applying Methods

Fundamentals of P2/engagement or Challenging Contexts are prerequisites for this course - Learn More

The focus of this course is on exploring a variety of methods used in implementing public participation and engagement and considering how to design and integrate those methods into the public participation and engagement practice process. Participants will learn to select, assess and create effective elements of methods to work meaningfully with participants.

Who should take this course?