Molino Stewart has vast experience in workshop facilitation, and we regularly run workshops as part of the community and stakeholder engagement services we provide to clients when we are helping them step through complex regulatory approval processes where the support of various stakeholders and the community is important to the success of their endeavour.
We are members of the International Association for Public Participation, and the International Association of Facilitators, so the range of facilitation resources and expertise we have available to assist with community education is vast.
A hallmark of our workshop facilitation is designing a workshop plan in liaison with the client. This ensures that the workshop is well-suited to the participants and will achieve the intended outcomes. We use best practices in facilitation including effective listening, equity in participation and transparency in all reporting of discussion. Our workshop activities are always varied and creative.
Design and facilitate Floodplain Risk Management Workshop
Designed and facilitated a workshop for local council floodplain managers in the Sydney Region. The workshop design consisted of presentations, small group discussions, open forums and Q&A sessions. Molino Stewart provided a forum evaluation report based on a feedback survey and comments from participants.
Penrith Rural Living Workshops: Biodiversity Scheme Research and Workshop Facilitation
Molino Stewart researched current incentives schemes for rural landholders and designed and facilitated two workshops for landholders in the Penrith LGA to identify possible ways for Council to support them in managing biodiversity and other environmental aspects on their properties. We produced hand-out material, developed a website concept plan for Council’s website to support the findings of the workshops and the feedback from participants and wrote a report on the findings which we presented to key Council staff.
Facilitation of Community NRM Asset Workshops
Molino Stewart designed and facilitated a series of workshops where participants described and mapped what they perceived as NRM assets in their local area.
Provision of Expert Advice and Facilitation of Environmental Education Workshop (Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW).
Molino Stewart provided expert advice and facilitated world café sessions in a two day workshop that aimed to move the agency towards an integrated Environmental Education strategy.
Facilitation of Green and Golden Bell Frog Workshops (NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change).
We designed a community engagement plan and facilitated nine stakeholder workshops in Sydney, Wollongong and the Hunter Valley to develop local management plans for key GGBF populations in line with the draft NSW and national GGBF recovery plan.
Facilitation of Business Traffic Workshop (Kogarah Council).
We facilitated a workshop with local business owners to identify and discuss options for parking in the Kogarah CBD.
Facilitation of Irrigation Shareholders’ Workshops (Murray Irrigation Ltd).
The Federal Government intends to obtain more water for environmental flows into the nation’s rivers, particularly the Murray. Murray Irrigation runs the biggest private irrigation supply system in Australia and has the potential to contribute significant volumes of water. Molino Stewart designed and facilitated three rounds of workshops (21 meetings) in Murray Irrigation’s area to ascertain farmers’ views on stages of an irrigation modernisation project which involved the irrigation and drainage systems.
Alps to Atherton Conservation Corridor Project
(NSW DECC) – The DECC was charged with the responsibility of initiating and progressing the NSW component of the iconic Alps to Atherton (A2A) project, whereby over 2,800km of a continuous conservation corridor is hoped to be established in eastern Australia. Molino Stewart initially identified organisations that could have a role in this project as a partner or a supporter in the Southern Highlands area. We also organised and facilitated forums to take these relationships further.
Facilitation of Broad-headed Snake Workshops and Plan of Management
Molino Stewart facilitated two workshops to investigate ways to better protect the Broad-headed Snake, in particular, the minimisation of bushrock use. The first workshop involved representatives from nursery, landscaping and alternative rock industries. The second workshop involved land manager representatives such as DECC, DPI Forests, Sydney Catchment Authority, local councils and service providers such as Transgrid and Alinta. The workshop outputs were reports documenting ways (particularly education and Communications) that these stakeholders could use to conserve the Snake. Molino Stewart also produced a Plan of Management from the workshops.
Facilitation of Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Workshops (Latrobe City Council)
The Latrobe Valley in Victoria, largely dependent on its coal and power industries, is especially vulnerable to the potential impacts of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). As part of a consortium of consultants, Molino Stewart designed the facilitation processes and facilitated six workshops with Council and a range of stakeholders to help prepare a CPRS policy position for the region.
Lower Parramatta River Flood Workshop
Molino Stewart facilitated a workshop for property owners and occupiers who are in areas identified as having a medium to high flood hazard to help them better understand their risks and what they and council are able to do to manage risks.