On 5-7 of March, 20 researchers from across the UK gathered in Aberystwyth for an intensive training in dialogue and engagement. Hosted by the Aberystwyth University Dialogue Centre, their Principal Lead, Dr Jennifer Wolowic recounts how the workshop equipped participants with foundations for hosting meaningful conversations and running workshops as part of their work with the Coast-R Network.
Why Dialogue Matters for Coastal Resilience
The first day explored the differences between dialogue, debate, and discovery—key concepts for understanding different types of conversations and how each have a role in building strong relationships and creating change. Researchers reflected on their own strengths and weaknesses and explored the importance of feelings and emotions in hosting transformative gatherings as part of their work.
The second day invited participants to offer peer advice on their projects, demonstrating practical ways to distribute power in a discussion space and create clear outcomes. Whether seasoned facilitators or those new to running workshops, the group learned personal things about one another and new frameworks to help their work.
A Unique Retreat Experience
This training also served as a pilot for future training programmes being developed by the Dialogue Centre, part of Aberystwyth University’s Old College Project. Beyond the structured workshop, participants experienced a sensory walk along the seafront, a souvenir hunt and a reflective moment on the pier watching the starlings. These activities underscored Aberystwyth’s coastal location and the value created by time spent stepping away from daily pressures to focus on skill-building, networking, and personal development.
Jennifer Wolowic, Principal Lead of the Dialogue Centre, who ran the training, said, “It was a wonderful first experience. As the Dialogue Centre develops its programming, it aims to provide these retreat-style experiences to researchers, organisations, and communities – offering space for reflection, learning, and collaboration in an inspiring coastal setting.”
Strengthening the Coast-R Network
Sarah Davies, Professor in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and co-investigator of the Coast-R Network, emphasized the importance of bringing people together at the start of a project. “Rather than considering engagement at a later stage in projects, we wanted to support researchers to integrate dialogic approaches from the very beginning. This workshop has given them the tools to do that.”
As researchers return to their projects and take their learnings back to their teams, they do so with a deeper understanding of themselves and how to create spaces for meaningful collaboration. Coast-R will continue to support its members and RECCs project researchers in applying these approaches to strengthen coastal resilience and community engagement.
