CAUT’s newest workshop Building Stronger Associations provides strategies for increasing member involvement.
CAUT has added a new workshop titled Building Stronger Associations to its list of education and training opportunities.
The workshop is designed to provide member associations with ideas for strengthening their work through increased member involvement. The workshop takes direct aim at the frustrating reality of low participation and, through the guidance of a trained facilitator, assists association members in devising strategies to engage their colleagues in association work.
Building Stronger Associations is a one-day workshop with a customizable agenda that allows participants to focus on specific local issues in a collective environment.
The material emphasizes how an association’s structure and practice can both impede and foster participation. Participants are guided through various case study experiences addressing real-life scenarios and role-playing exercises to identify potential barriers to involvement. Group discussions allow participants time to explore how the association’s current activities can be built on to nurture existing strengths.
A preliminary version of the workshop was offered at several CAUT member associations last year where it received positive feedback. Five facilitators from various regions of the country have now been trained to lead the workshop, and CAUT invites member associations to take advantage of this tried and proven exercise. As pressures on academic staff increase, it will be increasingly important that associations build their capacities to be strong advocates for academic freedom, academic integrity and academic work. The Building Stronger Associations workshop will help member associations achieve that goal.