Category: Civic Engagement

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.

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 problem solving. Participants expressed a desire for police departments that are to be community oriented, culturally sensitive, and act with equity and accountability. In turn, the community should take responsibility to communicate with the police, act responsibly, and formally and informally mentor youth. Participants expressed a willingness to communicate, build relationships, and educate each other in order to accomplish goals of mutual understanding and trust in their communities.

This primer offers suggestions for designing and conducting a community-based civic health index (CB Index). A CB Index allows local leaders to determine what is most important or relevant to measure in a particular town or small city and to then collect local data that reflect the specific civic activities of that community’s residents. With these data in hand, local leaders and community members can together decide what actions they might take to strengthen local civic health so that all residents can thrive in a healthy, engaged community.

This study examines the on-going work of New Hampshire Listens, a convener of deliberative conversations, specific to their work with police-community relationships. Attending particularly to the facilitators and planners of New Hampshire "Blue and You" in a small city, the study found systemic practices of early stakeholder involvement in the planning, holding space for disparate views, promoting storytelling, and creating intimate physical spaces addressed the vulnerability felt by participants. These practices distributed power among stakeholders, aided in preparing participants for the conversation, and fostered neutrality in the forum. They provide several ideas for ho

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 recognizing the diverse needs of varied demographic groups, the unique characteristics of our City, and the opportunities that exist for collaboration across organizational boundaries.” In the near future, the College/City Commission will also be addressing the other priorities contained in its charge—housing and neighborhoods, infrastructure and parking, and property/tax base issues.

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 executive branch agencies that carry out legislative mandates. The focus of each conversation was different based on attendees. At the public conversations, any interested New Hampshire resident was welcome to attend and share his or her view. These conversations were held on June 3rd in Conway, Manchester, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Warner, and Whitefield. At the state employee conversations, both held in Concord on June 24th and 26th, employees from a variety of state agencies attended. Finally, the vendor conversation held in Concord on June 23rd was attended by a range of business and nonprofit representatives from New Hampshire and elsewhere

This seven-part guide is designed to help people at the local level collect data to better understand what factors bring people together or push them apart. This information can help communities to thrive and strengthen democracy at the local level.

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 took place on May 20, 2014. One hundred and fifty-four New Hampshire residents met to talk about their priorities, concerns, and ideas related to substance use and addiction in New Hampshire. The goals of the conversations were to: Encourage ongoing community conversation about substance use in New Hampshire, Learn more about how New Hampshire residents understand the scope of use and misuse (of substances) in New Hampshire and Inform New Futures planning over the next three to five years.

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 treatment community, NH beer distributors, retailers, and manufacturers of beer, wine, and liquor. The purpose was three-fold to discuss priorities for the industry across a variety of viewpoints, identify actions for mutual benefit among industry players, and set the stage for future decisions and growth for positive impact in the NH beverage industry.