We are creating a Community of Practice of Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Finland
During the spring, more than 80 experts have graduated from our Strategic Stakeholder Engagement training courses, forming a Community of Practice based on the shared approach.
Akordi’s Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Clean Transition Projects training program delves into the essentials of project acceptability: how acceptability challenges manifest themselves in practice at the local level and how these challenges can be addressed by investing in early-stage interaction.
The courses produce experts in strategic stakeholder engagement who have gained in-depth knowledge of, for example, conflict anticipation, trust-building trust, problem solving through negotiation, identifying and reconciling interests, and the significance of emotions and defenses. We also discuss how to prepare for challenging interaction situations and practice the basic principles of interest-based negotiation through various games and exercises.
In addition to presentations by the trainers, the training days consist largely of joint discussion and reflection, guest commentators, thought-provoking negotiation exercises, and practical sparring sessions. Shared discussions and getting to know each other are really important parts of the training. We have shared experiences with course participants, discussing both successes and real challenges from the perspective of each individual’s work. It has been very rewarding to exchange ideas about challenging situations and share effective practices and tested methods.
In addition to training days that we spent together, learning is supported by discussions and assignments on the online training platform, follow-up meetings, and, in particular, a personal development assignment. In the assignment the learned principles, methods, and skills are applied to a current challenge in one’s own work, with the support of trainers and fellow course participants.
Student feedback on the training has been positive
The training was successful. 4.8/5
The learning materials used in the training and the assignments given were of high quality and supported my learning. 4.8/5
The trainers were knowledgeable and professional. 4.9/5
“High-quality training that was thought-provoking and transformative, and which offered diversifying methods.”
“Really inspiring and useful training that will help me succeed better in my current job, and I intend to share what I learned with my colleagues.”
“A well-organized training course with a clear structure. It was rewarding to deepen my previous understanding in such a short time. It was also very rewarding to hear about other people’s experiences and thoughts, which gave me a lot to think about in relation to my own work.”
From course participants to a community of experts
The course participants came from different parts of Finland and different sectors: companies, the public sector, and NGOs. Various green transition projects and their stakeholders were represented, including onshore and offshore wind power, solar power, hydrogen and battery value chains, municipalities, counties, and the state.
Our graduates have formed a Community of Practice based on the shared approach, exchange of knowledge and experiences, and peer support. The community’s discussion platform allows participants to stay in touch and brainstorm ideas even after the courses have ended.
Autumn courses
We are organizing four different courses between August and November. All the courses are in Finnish.
- 15–16 September & 28 October, HELSINKI: Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Clean Transition Projects (NEW)
- 9 September, HELSINKI: A Fair Transition to Sustainability in the Sámi Homeland
- 7–9 October, VAASA: Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Clean Transition Projects – the hydrogen value chain
- November 5–7 SODANKYLÄ: Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Clean Transition Projects – critical minerals
Check out our training calendar and apply to join our Community of Practice!
Photos1-3. Graduates of courses in Helsinki and Oulu
