Publications
April 10, 2018
New Hampshire’s ocean coastline, though small relative to that of other states, is a place where people have lived, worked, and died for thousands of years. It is home to numerous important cultural heritage sites,1 and its identity is tied in tangible and intangible ways to centuries of marine-based ways of life.2 Tourism to the region’s remnant historic heritage sites and cultural landscapes is…
June 5, 2018
Hidden in the shadows of New Hampshire’s opioid epidemic are the children who live with their parents’ addiction every day. They fall behind in school as the trouble at home starts to dominate their lives, they make the 911 calls, they are shuttled about to live with relatives or in foster care, and they face an uncertain future when their parents can no longer care for them.
June 19, 2018
Over the last two decades, opioid overdose deaths have increased over 400 percent, reaching 45,838 in 2016. Although the crisis is not disproportionately worse in rural than in urban America, opioid mortality rates have grown faster in rural areas, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest. Rural areas also face unique challenges in dealing with the crisis, including a smaller health care…
July 26, 2018
With the expiration of the current Farm Bill on September 30, 2018, the House and Senate are working in conference committee to reconcile their versions of its replacement. A major difference between the two is the House’s inclusion of a more intensive work requirement. By narrowing the parental work exemption to only those with children under age 6, and requiring recipients up to age 60 (rather…
May 3, 2018
This report presents results from a community conversation aimed at identifying pathways toward an inclusive and bias-free community. The conversation served as the closing community event of the Oyster River Community Read (ORCR) Program that ran from January to April 2018. The goal of this conversation was to increase understanding, generate ideas for change, and help participants get…
February 1, 2017
In the first few years of a child’s life, hundreds of neural connections form in the brain. When children engage with and receive thoughtful responses from adults, they form strong relationships that bolster healthy growth. Creating conditions (in the home, at school/child care, and in the community) that promote robust brain development and reduce toxic stress early on is likely to be more…
January 18, 2017
Over ninety people from the community squeezed into Flight Coffee for a conversation about community- police relations in Dover. Participants with a range of ages, races, and educational backgrounds were represented at this event. Attendees’ final recommendations and key areas of concern can be used by decision makers to inform next steps, as well as prioritize issues that were identified in a…
January 13, 2017
Participants at the conversation on the future of safety services for Deerfield expressed a range of perspectives, all of which were recorded by facilitators. Over about two hours, seven small groups―each with a trained facilitator―identified the most important issues. The summary below and the small group notes reveal strong overall themes as well as a rich collection of specific ideas. Included…
August 18, 2016
In July of 2016, over seventy-five people attended the NH Beverage Alcohol Summit at the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Commercial stakeholders initiated the summit, but attendees included stakeholders across the industry including members of the NH State Legislature, the NH Liquor Commission, the NH Department of Resources and Economic Development, the prevention and…
March 16, 2016
In February 2016, over 250 people attended one of three We Are Concord conversations to share their concerns and priorities for promoting collaboration and healthy problem solving across differences. These conversations provided an opportunity for the Concord community to strengthen relationships in a changing economy and a changing community, build trust and positive places for learning and…
June 1, 2015
This report summarizes the work of NH Listens since our inception over five years ago. The report is organized around the core elements of our three-part mission, which are to create engaged community conversations on local and statewide issues, to serve as a resource and support network for new Local Listens groups, and to cultivate a network of facilitators for public engagement and action.
April 14, 2015
During the winter and spring of 2015, the Keene College/City Commission worked with NH Listens to design a community conversation that would focus on one of the four priorities identified by the Commission in 2014— citizenship. As stated in its working charge, the Commission was established with, “the goal of improving the quality of life for residents, students, employers, and visitors while…
May 1, 2015
The conversations that took place in early May 2015 were focused on informing and getting input from New Hampshire residents on the increasing opportunity gap in the United States and in New Hampshire. Does everyone in New Hampshire have similar opportunities to succeed economically and socially? Is it harder to get ahead now than it was in previous generations? How can we make sure that everyone…
May 1, 2015
Police and community members in the communities of Rochester, Durham, and Dover spent three hours in each location discussing how to encourage mutual understanding and trust between communities and police. Participants from law enforcement and individuals from local neighborhoods worked together to reframe community problems as social issues where both community members and police play a role in…
November 8, 2014
During the summer and fall of 2014, a group of volunteers comprised of Newmarket residents organized Newmarket Common Ground and worked with New Hampshire Listens to design a community conversation about the future of education for the town. The conversation was intended to help Newmarket residents to engage in respectful conversation so that the community could move forward in light of the…
February 11, 2015
The Milton School District, along with a group of community members, teachers, and local civic leaders, worked with New Hampshire Listens to design a community conversation on the best way to support the young people of Milton to grow, thrive, and succeed.
January 16, 2015
On December 16th, 2014, all Nute students and staff participated in small group conversations focused on giving input to the school and town about what it is like to live, learn, work, and play in Milton. The students learned that in the October conversation with parents, teachers, and community members, many of the adults talked about: Needing to communicate better among the town, schools, and…
December 2, 2014
The Marston Property Exploratory Committee worked with New Hampshire Listens to design a community conversation on the future use of the Marston Property. The property was recently acquired by the community, and the committee was formed to explore what uses the property would best serve the residents of Nottingham. Prior to the Community Conversation, Committee members hosted a table at…
September 25, 2014
The New Hampshire Governor’s Commission on Innovation, Efficiency, and Transparency in State Government was established by Governor Hassan in 2013. In June of 2014, the Commission contracted with NH Listens to host conversations around the state with citizens, state employees, and vendors to gather information about ways to improve state government functions, with a particular focus on the…
June 30, 2014
In February and March of 2014, residents from across the state of New Hampshire gathered to discuss issues related to substance use and addiction in the Granite State. Fifteen groups met in nine regions of the state including Berlin, Derry, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Manchester, Nashua, Rochester, and Portsmouth. In addition, a conversation with business leaders about substance use in New Hampshire…
