Training Opportunities

The Resource Innovation Group’s Social Capital Project conducts research, training and consulting on climate and energy communications and behavior change. We’ve produced several leading studies and guides, including American Climate Attitudes; Climate Communications and Behavior Change: A Guide for Practitioners; Climate Crossroads: A Research-Based Framing Guide; and RE: Green - The Ecological Roadmap. To date, project staff have trained more than 1,000 government and nonprofit leaders in how to build public support for climate protection policies and carbon-reduction programs.

From a one-hour presentation to a two-day workshop, TRIG’s Social Capital Project offers a range of training programs in the following topic areas:

1. Climate Communications and Behavior Change

A guided process to understanding and overcoming the barriers to engagement on climate issues through the development of public engagement strategies based on audience interests, values, and stages of change.

2. Communicating About Climate Impacts and Climate Adaptation

Participants learn how to engage the public in a conversation about what it will take to prepare for climate impacts. Public support for adaptation policies and programs is critical, and may help build a sense of efficacy on climate mitigation.

3. Ecological Worldviews and Environmental Engagement

Training sessions on how to apply social values to shape messaging and outreach programs, including how to use segmentation tools such as The Ecological Roadmap, which identified five key barriers to environmental engagement.

4. Public Narrative and Climate Change

While facts are critical, the key to effective communications is wrapping facts into a compelling story. Participants are led through a process of developing a set of narratives that can build interest and engagement in addressing climate change.

In addition to these training opportunities, in Fall 2011 TRIG’s Social Capital Project is launching Climate Access, a learning network that will provide much-needed thought leadership and coordination for climate communicators in the public and nonprofit sectors. In sharing best practices, translating the latest polls and theories, and connecting climate communicators with one another as well as with leading researchers, ClimateAccess.org will help develop compelling narratives that shape the public conversation and model successful climate campaigns that motivate the public to act. For more information or to become a member of the Climate Access network, please contact Meredith Herr.