Trainings & Events

Public Life has become less civil. Would you like to learn practical skills to manage incivility? This workshop is sponsored by The University of Hartford Governor M. Jodi Rell Center For Public Service, CT Public, Connecticut Association of Boards Of Education, Connecticut Council of Small Towns, Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, Senate President Pro Tempe Martin Looney, Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly, House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, and Speaker of the House Matt Ritter.

This interactive ONLINE coaching session focuses on building better community relationships through increased empathy, greater awareness, and decreased reactivity. This active and engaged session will be led by the Civil Certified Master Facilitators from the Institute for Civility in Government (https://www.instituteforcivility.org/). The event is free and will provide practical skills for anyone dealing with incivility.
 

In October 2021, the Environmental Health Matters Initiative (EHMI) organized the workshop Communities, Climate Change, and Health Equity—A New Vision, which provided an overview of how changing climate conditions exacerbate existing health inequities experienced by communities across the United States. The workshop identified a broad set of potential actions and actors that could lead efforts to address the intersection of climate change, health inequity and environmental injustice.

Given that much of the authority for addressing these issues rests at the individual state level, EHMI is organizing an additional workshop – the next in a series – from 12:00 - 3:00 PM ET on May 24 and 26, 2022.

This workshop will delve deeper into specific state-level actions and actors that could help improve climate-related health outcomes in disproportionately impacted communities, particularly through the deeper integration of health equity into climate programs and consideration of climate justice in public health programs.

Intended participants include representatives from: state agencies, legislatures, and governors’ offices; state consortiums; federal agencies and universities with programs that intersect state implementation; and community based organizations, state and national advocacy organizations, foundations, and private sector organizations that focus on action at the state level.

This workshop will take place on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 12:00 - 3:00 PM (ET) and Thursday, May 26, 2022 12:00 - 3:00 PM (ET). The workshop will be highly interactive and include breakouts for attendees to share lessons learned and discuss best practices. This workshop is public and free to attend. A recording of each session will be made available following the event.

Visit the event webpage for more information and to see a detailed agenda.
 

This webinar will provide an overview of the different phases of site investigation (typically called Phase I, II and III), typical costs for each and potential funding sources, how to plan and request an RFP to have an investigation conducted by a contractor and what municipal or regional agency officials can expect in the resulting reports. Presented by the UConn Technical Assistance on Brownfields (TAB) program.
 

Activity-friendly streets, public spaces, and active transportation options became critical components of daily lives during the COVID-19 crisis for physical activity, accessing essential needs and being outdoors safely. But the vulnerability towards and the burden of the pandemic was not spread evenly across our communities.

Smart Growth America's newly released field scan, Shared Spaces and Health Equity: Lessons from a Pandemic, explores how decision-makers did (or did not) account for the existing inequities in their emergency-responses and identifies common barriers and lessons for the future.

Join Smart Growth America for a virtual dialogue with some of the contributors to this field scan on Thursday, June 2nd, 2022 at 2pm ET and share experiences from your work and/or local communities.

Who will be in the room?

• Rayla Bellis, Director, Thriving Communities, Smart Growth America


• Anushka Thakkar, Program Associate, Thriving Communities, Smart Growth America


• Michelle Lieberman, Consulting and Program Support Director, Safe Routes Partnership


• Mike McGinn, Executive Director, America Walks

Live captioning and ASL interpretation will be available for this event.

Questions? Email Anushka Thakkar at [email protected].
 

In the Northeast, extreme heat and drought may seem inconsequential when it comes to our list of weather woes. However, increasingly hot summers and lower levels of groundwater are showing us that those issues are not limited to the Western US – infamous for forest fires and drought. The Forum will bring in a diverse panel of speakers who will explore what we can learn from practitioners across the country who are already feeling the heat, as well as what our region is doing to mitigate these critical threats to our public and environmental health.

Join the Climate Adaptation Forum for this first in-person event since 2020! Another first – this forum will also be organized in a hybrid format. Attendees will have the option of being in-person, networking at the UMass Club in Boston, MA, or tuning in virtually from their locations around New England, the country, or even internationally! More information on these two attendance options can be found below.

Register now! Capacity is limited.
 

The New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center at Rutgers University is offering a free virtual training on the use of Rutgers’ climate change data visualization and mapping tools, NJADAPT. These data tools are designed to support efforts by communities to understand their impacts from climate change using the latest science and data. There are openings for 30 participants in this highly practical and interactive two-hour training. Rutgers invites individuals eager to participate to express their interest by May 15, 2022.
 

Join the Connecticut Council of Small Towns on June 8 from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM for the Energy & Environment Conference at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT. Hear from experts in the field and key lawmakers regarding energy and environmental issues affecting municipalities, including efforts to address solid waste management challenges and expand anaerobic digester capacity, expansion of public and private electric vehicle usage to reduce carbon emissions, and developments in solar and other renewable energy initiatives.
 

Explore the basics of climate change and climate impacts we’re experiencing in the northeast and along the Connecticut River. You’ll hear highlights of work happening on-the-ground to help our human and natural communities become more resilient in the face of the climate crisis.

Speakers: TBA
 

The one-day conference will feature an engaging agenda that includes appearances from guest speakers Governor Ned Lamont and Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary. Interactive sessions with expert panelists will help frame the Greater Naugatuck Valley’s path on issues related to transportation, affordable housing, and public involvement. This year's discussions and presentations will be underpinned by the concept of equity.

The event is facilitated by the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG). Presentations begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. There is no cost to attend and the conference is open to the general public.