An engaging two hour workshop (live or via Zoom) that addresses the nature of “public” in America and which will lift up attendees basic understanding of this critical principle of civic life.
Use of Case Studies
I use three case studies to illustrate different aspects of PUBLIC. Using video and text from news stories, attendees are asked to weigh in on aspects of public assets and services. Issues such as underlying values, who pays for public services, and who benefits from their are addressed.
Highly Interactive
In person or via Zoom, I use small group discussions with JamBoards, Mentimeter, Google Shared documents, and other methods and tools to keep the sessions lively and interactive.
Your Trainer
Tom Tresser has been a leader in public life for over fifty years. He has started or led fourteen nonprofit enterprises in the arts, community development, and civic engagement. He has taught civics, public policy, organizing, leadership, and creativity at six Chicago universities. He has designed and led hundreds of workshops, forum,s classes, and special events. He used to be a Shakesperean actor and theater producer!
Testimony
“Your ‘Chicago 101’ training was great last night!! It was the boost I needed. It reminded me of what I really care about and where I come from in terms of activism and my roots. In our activism we are working with a lot of people who have never engaged so conversation is tough because they aren’t aware of the history, there is no context. We often get caught up in nonsense and focus is lost as we try to get the newly engaged to act. Being with seasoned pros was so nice. I gained some new perspective and knowledge as well as reaffirmation of my values and goals. It was energizing and gave me some clarity, just what I needed for the burnout I’ve been feeling. I’m really looking forward to the next two sessions!” – Meaghan McAteer, Co-founder Indivisible Brookfield
“As a Lecturer of Political Science at Saint Xavier University, I am always looking for new ways to get students excited about politics and participation…Tom came up with “Civic Engagement 101” to challenge participants to think about civics as action involving knowledge, passion, and courage. The workshop got participants excited about the taking the next steps – towards action. I would encourage anyone interested in increasing civic engagement in their community to partner with Tom and the CivicLab.” – Elizabeth Alejo, Lecturer, Political Science, St. Xavier University
Tom Tresser's Teaching 