Facilitated Dialogue: An OD Tool to Support Climate Action

Date/Time: Monday, November 29, 2021 / 12:00-1:30 PM (EDT) Virtual

Description: Whether you practice OD internally or externally, your skill as a facilitator is a powerful resource to support employees and organizations dealing with the climate crisis.  A facilitated climate dialogue is an opportunity to build knowledge and awareness, to work through one’s eco-anxiety, to share climate stories, and to set in motion positive and proactive climate action.  Facilitated climate dialogues are an opportunity for organizations to socialize their climate action and sustainability plans, and to coalesce employees around those plans.  

The purpose of this session is to introduce the Facilitated Climate Dialogue model to CBODN members, share ideas, brainstorm potential applications, and draw on the expertise of members to strengthen the model for use with groups and organizations.

Speakers:

Sacha Wright (Guest Speaker)

Sacha Wright is the Research and Curriculum Coordinator at Force of Nature, a youth nonprofit organization that exists to mobilize mindsets for climate action. 

Sacha works alongside researchers, psychologists, youth activists and climate experts to deliver the most impactful and genuine services to young people contending with climate distress.  In her first year at Force of Nature, Sacha sat with over 500 young people from over 50 countries to discuss the toll that climate change was having on their well-being.  Sacha’s passion lies in dismantling inequality in the climate health space, and ensuring impactful and inclusive solutions. 

Sacha hopes to expand her work at Force of Nature by amplifying the voices and resilience of the community of change-makers, and helping educators, non-profits, corporates and health services understand how we might better support the generation inheriting the climate crisis.

Sacha was recently interviewed about climate anxiety on the BBC World Service Newshour as part of its global programming on the climate crisis.  She lives in London. 

Sidney Rainey

Sidney Rainey is an OD practitioner with more than 30 years of experience building leadership bench strength for public and private sector organizations. He is passionate about helping others to better understand the climate crisis, and to identify ways to take positive action, both individually and collectively.

As an internal OD practitioner, Sidney served for ten years with the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer.  For the past five years he has served as an external consultant supporting organizations such as USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, EPA, Population Reference Bureau, Inter-American Development Bank, and the US Forest Service – International Programs.  In one of his roles as an external consultant, he had the privilege of supporting Ethiopia’s Climate Resilient Green Economy Program by preparing business leaders from across the country to take on climate change.  The Ethiopian Climate Finance Network was created as a result of this initiative.

Sidney’s love of nature and empathy for the youth of the world are what drive him to serve in the collective effort to address climate change positively and proactively. He lives in Washington, DC.