Community-Based System Dynamics (CBSD) is a participatory method for engaging and working with communities and organizations to address complex issues across a variety of contexts and cultures. With roots in system dynamics, group model building, and community-engaged research, CBSD is employed globally in research and practice settings to tackle “messy problems” by engaging community members.

This 3-workshop series introduces participants to CBSD, with emphasis on applications of CBSD to promote health equity. The course provides participants with facilitation techniques for managing and engaging stakeholders; designing and structuring workshops; and opportunities to gain feedback on applying CBSD to a problem of interest or ongoing work. This course also starts to develop a skill set of tools central to the use of system dynamics, such as qualitative causal mapping and creating a dynamic problem statements.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand CBSD and its relationship to other systems science methods, systems thinking, and system dynamics.

• Identify and define problems most appropriate for CBSD.

• Learn to utilize best practices in CBSD to define problems and design community-based participatory workshops.

• Identify facilitation strategies and scripts (e.g,. Scriptapedia) to enhance group-based participatory experiences and workshop design

• Practice the use of qualitative causal loop diagrams to discuss and illustrate system behavior.

The sessions will be held virtually on the following dates:

Part 1: (Wednesday, September 27 at 12:00 - 1:15pm CST)

Part 2: (Wednesday, October 25 at 12:00 - 1:15pm CST)

Part 3: (Wednesday, November 29 at 12:00 - 1:15pm CST)

P resenter:

Dr. Irene Headen is an Assistant Professor of Black Health in the Department of Community Health and Prevention at the Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health. Her research investigates the social and structural determinants of racial/ethnic inequities in adverse pregnancy outcomes. In particular, her work focuses on identifying neighborhood and community factors underlying these inequities and understanding how systems science methods can help translate these factors into multilevel interventions to improve Black maternal health outcomes.

Workshops are free and open to all people and organizations who share the common goal of a future where everyone has the ability to live the healthiest life possible.

Initial registration will automatically register participants for all three sessions.

Captions provided for all virtual activities.

Community-based System Dynamics Workshop Series