Risk & Crisis Communication
Master Class & Boot Camp

Special Offer:
For a limited time only

In addition to our group or special circumstance discounts,
see our price list on this page for our limited-time, pandemic hardship deep discounts.

Telling people they are at risk is not easy.

You know this, because your work involves risk or crisis communication.

 

We know it because these challenges are what inspired us to create the most unique communication course you will ever take.

 

The RSI Risk & Crisis Communication Master Class & Boot Camp is designed for advanced communicators who wish to further perfect their risk and crisis communication skillset. Whether you need to get people to quit smoking, heed a hurricane evacuation warning, or follow safety guidelines, this course will help you to reduce your efforts while increasing your impact.

 

You can never be too prepared.

A unique two-day experience that will change the way you communicate or your money back

If you are a communication professional creating, supervising or disseminating messages that affect peoples’ safety or well-being, this Master Class & Boot Camp is for you.

Discover what makes  targets listen to or ignore your appeals. What makes them believe your message? Would you like to better motivate them to act on your guidance?

Some call this two-day deep-dive  “the most ingenious way”  of understanding how people perceive messages intended to make them choose wisely and safely. The Risk Sciences International Risk & Crisis Communication Master Class & Boot Camp will change the way you message in uncertain times.

Do you

work for?

  • Industry
  • Supply chain business
  • Retail or wholesale
  • Local, state, provincial, regional or federal government
  • NGO
  • Association
  • Federation
  • Military
  • Fire
  • Police
  • EMS
  • Academia

... or any organization that somehow interacts with the outside world?

Do you

work in?

  • External communication
  • Internal communication
  • Public relations
  • Media relations
  • External relations
  • Fundraising
  • Advocacy
  • Human resources
  • Training
  • Emergency services
  • Crisis management
  • Leadership

... or any department that at some point must produce risk- or crisis-related messaging? 

Does your

agenda include?

  • Workplace safety
  • Consumer safety
  • Pandemics
  • Public health
  • Food safety
  • Drug safety & effectiveness
  • Poison control
  • Climate change
  • Water quality
  • Extreme weather
  • Pollution
  • Terror
  • Chemical spills
  • Crime & Public safety
  • Distracted driving
  • Fires & Wildfires

... or any other aspect of society that carries risk?

If you do work for a company, civil society organization, or government and your job includes writing news releases, reports, web and publication content or producing video or even complete campaigns; if you conceive, produce or disseminate campaigns; if you oversee a communications team; if you are responsible for human resources or training... then this Master Class & Boot camp is for you.

 

Risk Sciences International, with its decades spent understanding, managing and communicating risk, offers a one-of-a-kind experience for those who want to elevate their risk and crisis communication skills even higher.

 

This course targets professionals with three to thirty years of experience in the field of risk communication. The curriculum – and especially the Boot Camp session – will provide you with the insight and the tools to produce single messages or full campaigns, with local or international dissemination, in record time, or with time to spare.

 

Take this Master Class & Boot Camp if you are as passionate about risk and crisis communication as we are!

Your Teaching Staff

You will be spending two days in the company of three
atypical and highly experienced risk and crisis communication experts.

  • Cemil 'Jim' Alyanak at Risk Sciences International

    Cemil 'Jim' Alyanak

    RSI Vice-President, Communication and Strategic Initiatives

    Cemil Alyanak, based in Bethesda, MD, has over  forty years of experience creating, launching and managing global campaigns in cancer, AIDS, waste, climate change, migration, trafficking, and many others. He is the author  of several books including The Overview of Communications and Perception Analysis and has given over two-hundred seminars.

  • RSI's Anne Wiles recognized for her work in risk communication

    Anne Wiles

    Senior Risk Perception and Communication Analyst

    Anne Wiles is an expert in public and institutional attitudes to risk. Dr. Wiles has led studies in risk perception and communication in fields as diverse as nuclear power, genetically-modified foods, and pollution. Among many others, she has worked in federal nuclear emergency preparedness.

  • RSI's Daniel Krewski - Official portrait

    Daniel Krewski

    RSI Chief Risk Scientist | CEO

    In addition to teaching risk science and risk communication at the University of Ottawa, Daniel Krewski has published hundreds of seminal articles and books on the topic.  Dr. Krewski coordinated the conduct of the first large scale study of public perception of risk in Canada. He is also the Director of the McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa.

  • Cemil 'Jim' Alyanak at Risk Sciences International

    Cemil 'Jim' Alyanak

    RSI Vice-President, Communication and Strategic Initiatives

    Cemil Alyanak, based in Bethesda, MD, has over  forty years of experience creating, launching and managing global campaigns in cancer, AIDS, waste, climate change, migration, trafficking, and many others. He is the author  of several books including The Overview of Communications and Perception Analysis and has given over two-hundred seminars.

  • RSI's Anne Wiles recognized for her work in risk communication

    Anne Wiles

    Senior Risk Perception and Communication Analyst

    Anne Wiles is an expert in public and institutional attitudes to risk. Dr. Wiles has led studies in risk perception and communication in fields as diverse as nuclear power, genetically-modified foods, and pollution. Among many others, she has worked in federal nuclear emergency preparedness.

  • RSI's Daniel Krewski - Official portrait

    Daniel Krewski

    RSI Chief Risk Scientist | CEO

    In addition to teaching risk science and risk communication at the University of Ottawa, Daniel Krewski has published hundreds of seminal articles and books on the topic.  Dr. Krewski coordinated the conduct of the first large scale study of public perception of risk in Canada. He is also the Director of the McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa.

Virtual classroom

Zoom.us

The Risk & Crisis Communication Master Class & Boot Camp is currently a 100% virtual experience using Zoom. After several initial dry runs and courses, the virtual approach has actually made the master class & boot camp experience even more engaging and participatory than in-person teaching. The virtual environment allows for highly useful polling, breakout groups, and file sharing.

Master Class & Boot Camp
Agenda

The agenda is subject to last-minute revisions.

Prior to taking the course, attendees are provided with reading material and asked to do a minimal amount of research. Attendees can expect to spend approximately two to four hours doing this work. All details will be provided approximately one week prior to the commencement of class.

  1. Cardinal rules
    First, the obvious
  2. To know, or not to know?
    How well should we know our audience?
  3. The world we live in
    It’s complicated
  4. Acquisition to Concept
    How do humans acquire and initially process what they perceive?
  5. Before Yay or Nay
    How the four filters guide us to a decision
  6. Decision to Action
    Converting perception to engagement?
  7. Risk vs. Crisis
    How are risk and crisis communication different?
  8. Mastering the Workflow
    'Your' risk and crisis messaging workflow
  9. Finding, Filtering & Focussing Evidence**
    Principles of unearthing and delivering science and evidence
  10. Using Evidence*
    Delivering science and evidence convincingly
  11. The Chosen Seven
    A better way to target
  12. Campaign Fix Exercise
    A collaborative exercise to build a better campaign

Personal challenge

You will be assigned a short overnight assignment between Day One and Day Two. Expect the work to take approximately 30 to 60 minutes.

  1. Personal challenge debrief and Q&A
    Open exchange of ideas
  2. Three-hour Boot Camp
    This is the reason you’ve signed up! During this three-hour class challenge, participants will be pushed to their limits as they fight time, the unexpected, errors and false information injections, while trying to deliver useful messaging.
  3. Boot camp debrief
    Grading and discussion
  4. Bonus 1
    Analyses of participant campaigns
  5. Bonus 2
    Open discussion of COVID-19 communication choices

Prior to taking the course, attendees are provided with reading material and asked to do a minimal amount of research. Attendees can expect to spend approximately two to four hours doing this work. All details will be provided approximately one week prior to the commencement of class.

  1. Cardinal rules
    First, the obvious
  2. To know, or not to know?
    How well should we know our audience?
  3. The world we live in
    It’s complicated
  4. Acquisition to Concept
    How do humans acquire and initially process what they perceive?
  5. Before Yay or Nay
    How the four filters guide us to a decision
  6. Decision to Action
    Converting perception to engagement?
  7. Risk vs. Crisis
    How are risk and crisis communication different?
  8. Mastering the Workflow
    'Your' risk and crisis messaging workflow
  9. Finding, Filtering & Focussing Evidence**
    Principles of unearthing and delivering science and evidence
  10. Using Evidence*
    Delivering science and evidence convincingly
  11. The Chosen Seven
    A better way to target
  12. Campaign Fix Exercise
    A collaborative exercise to build a better campaign

Personal challenge

You will be assigned a short overnight assignment between Day One and Day Two. Expect the work to take approximately 30 to 60 minutes.

  1. Personal challenge debrief and Q&A
    Open exchange of ideas
  2. Three-hour Boot Camp
    This is the reason you’ve signed up! During this three-hour class challenge, participants will be pushed to their limits as they fight time, the unexpected, errors and false information injections, while trying to deliver useful messaging.
  3. Boot camp debrief
    Grading and discussion
  4. Bonus 1
    Analyses of participant campaigns
  5. Bonus 2
    Open discussion of COVID-19 communication choices

Bonus 1

For a limited time

Free Analysis

Participants can submit one of their own messages or campaigns for expert evaluation and open discussion, obtaining the best possible feedback.

Bonus 2

For a limited time

COVID-19

An open-discussion, using examples gathered worldwide, on the successes and failures of communications early and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

HOW TO TAKE THIS COURSE

The RSI Risk and Crisis Communication Master Class & Boot Camp is not designed to be easy. The instructors expect students to be well-prepared, to complete preliminary research and overnight assignments and to put maximum effort into all sessions, especially the Boot Camp.

Most importantly, this is not an introductory course. Attendees are expected to have at least three years professional experience in risk or crisis communication or leadership.

This is a course that will push you. Take it if you want to be ready when the clock is ticking!

Time is up chronograph

Things Needed:

- Minimum three years communication or leadership experience
- Be available for two full days
- Speak and understand English fluently

Required tools:

- A desktop or laptop computer
- An internet connection
- Zoom (available on on MacOS and Windows)

How to apply:

Step 1: Complete the form

Fill in the form here. You will be asked to provide some background information for admission as well as a short, 100 to 200 word statement of interest. This Master Class and Boot Camp is reserved for those with sufficient experience and motivation to follow the curriculum.

Step 2: RSI review

RSI reviews all applications. You will receive an acceptance or non-acceptance within 48 hours.

Step 3: Pay the fee

Fees can be paid here.

Step 4: Prepare for the course

Attendees are expected to complete specific reading assignments as well as a minimal amount of online research prior to the course.

Step 5: Select and send in your own campaign materials for analysis

Currently, the course includes two bonus sessions, one of which is a free analysis of one set of campaign materials that you have previously produced or worked on. This analysis is carried out by our master analyst with the participation of fellow attendees. Materials must be received at least three business days prior to the course to be considered. Details are sent to attendees upon successful registration.

COURSE FEES

Risk Sciences International - Understanding, Managing and Communicating Risk
Regular fee
USD $1495

This fee is all-inclusive. It covers both days of the Master Class & Boot Camp, all preparation materials and both bonus sessions.

USD $1495
Exceptional discounted fee
$1495   $995

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to improve risk and crisis communication skills, Risk Sciences International is offering a limited-time discount for all attendees. Note that the price may increase to the regular fee at any time (all registered students are guaranteed the price at which they signed up).

$1495   $995
Groups of 3+
$1345   $895

Groups of three or more attendees from the same organization are afforded a 10% discount. This discount applies to the current fee. The fee is per student.

$1345   $895
Local authorities / municipal civil servants
$1345   $895

Local authorities and municipal civil servants are afforded a 10% discount. This discount applies to the current fee.

$1345   $895
First-response related staff
$1270   $845

All first responders and staff working in a first response organization – EMS, fire, police, medical – receive a 15% discount.

$1270   $845
Non-profit
$1270   $845

Non-profit organizations, associations, federations, unions and NGOs receive a 15% discount.

$1270   $845

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DOWNLOAD OUR PAMPHLET

Download a four-page PDF containing some additional details on the course.

In their words

Nicholas You

Eye opening!

Going in, I did not know what to expect. I thought it was going to be a course on how to simply improve my messaging techniques. Was I wrong. I came away from the course exhausted and motivated beyond my expectations. Take the course, but get a good night's sleep first.

Richard Cacciato

Upside down

As Cemil teaches in the course, I had been looking at communication upside-down. I also did not realize how much legwork could be done before an actual campaign. Cemil and the rest of the team have given me an exciting new approach and for that I'm grateful.

 

Cemil 'Jim' Alyanak at Risk Sciences International

Personal Message

from our lead instructor Cemil 'Jim' Alyanak
Those who attend this RSI Master Class & Boot Camp are experienced. You’ve been doing your job well for years. So why take this course? It’s what I call the pilot-principle. Airline pilots are constantly doing two things: refreshing their skills and practicing emergency procedures. This course is to communicators, what simulators are to pilots. It’s our chance to learn new skills and – more important – to test our skills in a real‑world simulation. I look forward to meeting and challenging you!