Training Activity Programme - 11/06

Introduction

The terms ‘ombud/ombudsman/ombudsperson’ are unfamiliar to many people. ENOHE members are drawn from across Europe and further afield, and may be working at national, regional, institutional, or departmental levels in their roles, with a variety of job titles which might or might not include the ‘ombudsperson’ word.

This one-day in-person training activity will allow participants to explore where they fit in the ombuds landscape; what skills and knowledge they bring to the role; and what policies and procedures they already have or need to develop. Sessions on various techniques and skills for conflict resolution and non-violent communication will also be covered in this interactive workshop.

Outcomes

Participants will have a broader picture of Ombuds work in Europe;
Participants will gain skills in conflict resolution and non-violent communication;
Participants will be more confident in developing their roles;
Participants will improve their network connections;
Participants will have resources to take back to their organization and national networks.

Topics

Introduction: European Landscape of Ombuds work; Challenges and opportunities of different Ombuds work structures.

Conflict Resolution: Learning the principles of Productive Dialogue; Creating an environment that leads towards a shared solution.

Non-violent communication: introduction to the use of this technique.

Target Audience

Ombuds
People who want to become ombuds
Members of Ombuds Networks

Certificate of Attendance: At the end of the TAP every participant will receive a certificate provided by ENOHE and the University of Beira Interior (UBI).

Program

Schedule	Activity	Description	Trainer/Speaker
June 11^th
9h	Welcoming and Registration
10h	Opening Remarks	Jean Grier
10:15h	Exploring the landscape	In this session, we will explore the work done by ourselves and other participants, the challenges and opportunities presented by the structures within which each of us works, and the skills (and knowledge gaps) we are individually deploying at present.	Jean Grier
11.15h	Refreshments
11:30h	Policies and structures – designing ‘the perfect ombuds office’	We discuss the variety of models within which we are working. Are there any ‘must have’ policies for all of us? What are the biggest challenges we face in our jobs?	Jean Grier
12:30h	Lunch
14h	Non-violent Communication	Non-violent communication is based on empathy, consensus-building, and the creation of peaceful solutions in relationships between human beings, regardless of their background, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or position of power. The communication we want to establish does not, therefore, dispense with recognizing emotions and linking them to the values of freedom, peace, justice, and equity.	Sónia de Sá
15:30h	Refreshments
15:45h	Ombuds coaching with high-conflict people	This session focuses on the development of essential communication and conflict management skills for new ombuds. I begin with a recap of my 2023 TAP session in Prague, including Bill Eddy’s Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm (BIFF) method for communication with high-conflict people. Following the recap and the BIFF practice exercise, the session will introduce participants to new approaches to develop skills—Cinnie Noble’s CINERGY Coaching model and Bill Eddy’s Empathy, Attention, and Respect (EAR) method. Once new ombuds understand the cycle of conflict and their potential power for positive organizational change through effective communication tools, they can immediately apply the BIFF, CINERGY, and EAR models in their practice.	Brent Epperson
18:15h	How can ENOHE support you?	A short overview of what we currently provide for members, followed by a discussion on the needs of participants and the possibilities for the provision of further professional development.	ENOHE Board Members
18:45h	Closing Remarks	Jean Grier
19h	Social Program

Speakers

	Brent Epperson is an Assistant Professor of Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) and serves as Ombudsman (part-time) at the University of Luxembourg. He has practiced as an ombuds and is active in ombuds associations in Europe, Canada, and the United States. His research interests involve three central topics: ombudsman practice and the growth of the ombuds profession, public sector governance and the development of administratively fair and equitable policies and procedures, and issue representation and (re)framing in public policy debates—in particular, debates on health care, higher education, and minority rights(ethnic, gender/LGBTQ+, and linguistic minorities).
	Jean Grier is an experienced trainer and lives in Edinburgh, UK, combining freelance and voluntary work with a couple of public appointments in her ‘retirement’. Jean was formerly Investigations Manager and Head of Student Casework at the University of Edinburgh and established the Scottish Higher Education Complaints Forum in 2012. In 2018, Jean’s professional association, AUA, presented her with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Active in ENOHE since 2013, Jean was honoured to be elected President in 2023.
	Sónia de Sá has a PhD in Communication Sciences, in the inclusive television subarea. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, Philosophy and Politics of University of Beira Interior, teaches in undergraduate courses in Communication Sciences and Cultural Sciences, in the master courses of Strategic Communication, Journalism, and Marketing, and in the PhD in Science Communication. Supervises or supervised 20 master dissertations and six doctoral thesis, whose themes are relate to her main research interests, namely, gender studies, queer studies and representations of minorities, especially, roma communities, black women and the LGBTQ + community.