Facilitation Practice and Community Engagement (CET266)

Course ID: TGS-2026061640
Date: 24 & 25 August 2026
Duration: 2 days
Level: Intermediate

Synopsis

Communities everywhere are facing complex challenges in scope, scale and urgency, threatening social cohesion and trust. Involving the community enables us to improve public health, social conditions, economic well-being and sustainability of communities. This course provides relevant concepts, tools and strategies for community engagement and facilitation.

Facilitating community engagement is a combination of both science and art. The aspects of science can be derived from various disciplines such as social work, political science, organisational development, psychology, and from literature relating to community development, participation, mobilisation, amongst others. The art focuses on the application of knowledge and skills - having the sensitivity to adapt science for the purposes of specific community engagement and facilitation efforts. The course will cover - knowledge, skills and competencies needed of community engagement professionals, the reasons for community engagement, understanding the degrees of citizen participation, applying the types of engagement and facilitation strategies to specific case studies.

 

Who Should Attend

Grassroots Advisor, Community Engagement Manager, Volunteer Management Officer, Corporate Communications Executive

 

 

Topics

• Why Community Engagement?
• Evaluate the Strengths and limits of various community engagement and participation models and principles
• Types of Leadership for Community Development and Engagement
• Competencies of Community Engagement Professional
• Principles of Community Engagement
• Formulate effective plan for Community Engagement
• Models and frameworks for the practice of Community Engagement
• Operationalising the Community Engagement plan
• Challenges in Community Engagement
• Evaluating the Community Engagement plan

 

Objectives

• Understand the role of a community leader and their relationship with the public
• Identify purpose of community engagement against organisational goals
• Identify and propose strategies for engaging the public
• Appreciate the challenges and opportunities of community engagement
• Acquire skills and traits to conduct and facilitate effective community engagement

 

 

Learning Outcomes

A. Knowledge and Understanding (Theory Component)

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Aim 1: Identify the key skills of community engagement and facilitation
• Aim 2: Discuss various models and approaches to community engagement and facilitation
• Aim 3: Evaluate the strengths and limits of various community engagement and facilitation models and approaches

B. Key Skills (Practical Component)

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Aim 1: Apply the principles and values of genuine servant leadership for community leadership.
• Aim 2: Formulate effective plans for community outreach and research.
• Aim 3: Propose potential strategies for positive community engagement and facilitation.

 

Schedule

Time	Agenda
Day 1
09:00 - 09:30	Course Overview
09:30 - 10:30	Why Community Engagement? Why should we engage the community? When do we engage the community? Definitions and Concepts Introduction to the different models in Community Engagement - Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation and Non-Participation / IAP2
10:30 - 10:45	Break
10:45 - 12:00	The makings of a Community Leader Different roles in Community Development and Engagement and their purpose Competencies of Community Engagement Professional - Traits required for community engagement – listening, seeing, empathizing
12:00 - 13:00	Lunch
13:00 - 15:00	Formulate effective plan for Community Engagement Understanding challenges on the ground: defining your problem Conducting research on the ground (qualitative / ethnographic / quantitative / crowdsensing techniques) Defining stakeholders Assessing the level of engagement
15:00 - 15:15	Break
15:15 - 17:00	Models and frameworks for the practice of Community Engagement Different modes of engagement and technique (Methods to inform, consult, involve, collaborate, empower) Setting into context: Consultative, Conflict /Differing Opinion
17:00 - 17:30	Assessment: Reflection and summary
Day 2
09:00 - 09:30	Recap of Day 1
09:30 - 11:00	Tactics of engagement – Active listening, Interviewing techniques, Understanding non-verbal cues Role of the moderator Active Listening – paraphrasing, reflecting, summarising, Questioning techniques – Dos and Don’ts Interview / Focus Group Dynamics
11:00 - 11:15	Break
11:15 - 12:30	Operationalising the Community Engagement plan Preparing timelines and budget Set up reporting and feedback
12:30 - 13:30	Lunch
13:30 - 15:00	Challenges in Community Engagement Lack of participation Lack of willingness to engage Conflicts and differences
15:00 - 15:15	Break
15:15 - 16:15	Evaluating Community Engagement Impact on problem statement/challenge; Impact on relationships with stakeholders Results chain Going back to Community Engagement design
16:15 - 17:15	Final Presentation – summation of all materials covered in the course
17:15 - 17:30	Summary and close

^*SUSS reserves the right to change the course dates, topics and trainers.

 

 

Assessments

• MCQ Quiz
• Group Presentation
  
  

 

Requirements

• Participants should have a basic understanding of community engagement / have some basic experience in conducting or working in community engagement-related initiatives
• Participants have to bring along their own laptop

 

About the Trainer

Hor Chor Kiat

Chor Kiat is currently Director, Educational Programmes and Events at the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). In his role, he oversees the development, curation and execution of all capability building programmes, community engagement and events for the Asia-Pacific region, with the aim of building a community of practitioners and strengthen their expertise in advancement – philanthropy, fundraising, alumni relations and marketing and communications.

Prior to joining CASE, Chor Kiat was the Consultant and Lead, Capability Building and Partnerships at Verian and Kantar Public. He helped to shape and drive the strategic direction and management of its specialisations into capacity and capability offers, which includes identifying opportunities and innovating to grow the business locally and regionally. He was also project lead and involved in various public participation projects where he designed and facilitated these sessions, engaged and worked with the community to develop solutions to address policy challenges such as social cohesion, workforce, transport, environment and so on. Notable clients include NTUC, MCCY, PTC, PHC and NYC.

With a decade of holistic corporate experience, Chor Kiat’s expertise lies in the areas of Business Development and Strategy, Consulting, Communications, Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement, and Public Participation. He has worked with corporate leaders at the Board, C-suite and Senior Management levels, as well as partners both locally and internationally.

Chor Kiat is also a passionate and engaging instructor, having taught at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy as well as in Verian on topics such as social research, communications, moral reasoning, to cultural diversity, and policy analysis.

Chor Kiat graduated with a Master in Public Policy, with a specialisation in Politics and International Relations, from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (NUS) and is a Li Ka Shing Foundation Scholarship recipient. 

 

Application Procedures

Please submit the following documents to [email protected]:

1. Coloured copy (back and front) of NRIC for Singaporeans and PRs, or "Employment"/"S" Pass for foreign applicant
   
2. Application form
   
   

 

Course Fee

¹ Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy: Singaporeans aged 40 and above may enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fees.
² Enhanced Training Support for SMEs: SME-sponsored employees (Singaporean Citizens and PRs) aged 21 and above may enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fees.

• Participants are required to achieve at least 75% attendance and pass any prescribed examinations/assessments or submit any course/project work (if any) under the course requirement.
• Participants are required to complete all surveys and feedbacks related to the course.
• The course fees are reviewed annually and may be revised. The University reserves the right to adjust the course fees without prior notice.
• Singapore University of Social Sciences reserves the right to amend and/or revise the above schedule without prior notice.
  
  

For the various payment modes, please refer here.

Course Withdrawal and Refund

Request for withdrawal from a course must be submitted to SUSS Academy formally in writing.

• Course Withdrawal before Application Close Date: No charges.
• Course Withdrawal after course confirmation: 50% of the full course fee with an administration fee imposed.
• Course Withdrawal after the course commences: Full course fee applies.

 

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For clarification, please contact the SUSS Academy via the following:

Telephone: +65 6248 0263
Email: [email protected]