Prevention Professionals located in HHS Region 5 - Great Lakes PTTC (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) and in HHS Region 8 - Mountain Plains PTTC (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY), are invited to attend this free 3-Part training series

Social Norms Webinar Series:

Using the Science of the Positive to Increase Your Community Impact

Founded by Dr. Jeff Linkenbach at The Montana Institute

Register to learn how you can use the Science of the Positive to promote protective factors, grow healthy norms, and positively transform safety cultures. 

Registration is required for this free 3-part webinar series for prevention professionals. Each session is 90-minutes. 

4.5 continuing education hours (CEHs) are available. *Please visit our Continuing Education page for more information. 

Webinar 1: An Introduction to the Science of the Positive

July 19, 2021 @ 12:00 pm ET/ 11:00 am CT/ 10:00 am MT

The Science of the Positive is the study of how positive factors impact culture and experience. Those of us who work as health and safety professionals can sometimes become so focused on the problems we are trying to reduce that we forget to identify and cultivate the strengths and protective factors that keep our communities strong. The Science of the Positive reverses this problem-centered frame, and focuses on growing the healthy, positive, protective factors that already exist in our communities.

Participants will: 

1. Identify how the four domains of Spirit, Science, Action, and Return work together to create a synergistic cycle of positive transformation
2. Demonstrate understanding of what it means to "Start with Spirit"
3. Discuss how the Science of the Positive is an environmental framework that relates to different categories (universal, secondary, targeted) in the prevention triangle

Webinar 2: Introduction to Positive Community Norms

August 16, 2021 @ 12:00 pm ET/ 11:00 am CT/ 10:00 am MT

Learn the essential seven steps for planning, building, and evaluating a Positive Community Norms intervention. Participants will be provided seven 10-minute videos to watch as "homework" before attending this 90-minute interactive discussion that will provide plenty of time for real time questions and answers. 

Participants will:

1. Identify the Seven Steps of the Montana Model of Positive Community Norms Communication
2. Discuss how misperceptions influence attitudes and behaviors
3. Explain how the Positive Community Norms approach corrects misperceptions to impact behavior and increase health

Webinar 3: Applying the Science of the Positive in Strategic Communications

September 20, 2021 @ 12:00 pm ET/ 11:00 am CT/ 10:00 am MT

This webinar will help prevention practitioners improve communications around substance misuse prevention in their communities with the Science of the Positive, a framework that promotes protective factors, increases healthy norms, and positively transforms community cultures. This webinar will provide attendees with new communication skills that can be used immediately to harness positivity and hope in their work and messaging.

Participants will: 

1. Describe the qualities of communications that use the Science of the Positive Cycle of Transformation
2. Demonstrate how to integrate hope and concern into strategic communications
3. List the Seven Core Principles as a new way of framing community action

Sara Thompson

PCN Communications Expert @ The Montana Institute

Sara Thompson is a Senior Trainer with The Montana Institute who specializes in training and technical assistane with Positive Community Norms communications. Sara was introduced to Dr. Jeff Linkenbach's work with the science of the Positive and Positive Community Norms (PCN) frameworks in 2006; these transformative new approaches challenged her perceptions, reignited her passion for prevention leadership, and renewed her energy for her work. Bio continued on registration pages...