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North America Regional Hub: Multi-Actor Frameworks – Prevention Initiative Workshop in Chattanooga (Tennessee, USA)

Publication Date:

12/12/2024

Content Type:

Event Reports

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local leadership groupsmulti-actor prevention frameworksNorth America Regional Hubtargeted violence

— 4 minutes reading time

This report provides a summary of discussions during the event and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Strong Cities Network Management Unit, Strong Cities members, event sponsors or participants.

Summary

Where & When: Chattanooga, Tennessee (United States), 12 December 2024

Since October 2023, Strong Cities has been working with five US cities piloting a model for the development of local multi-actor prevention frameworks with support from the US Department of Homeland Security. The cities include: Albuquerque (New Mexico); Athens (Ohio); Chattanooga (Tennessee); Overland Park (Kansas); and Stamford (Connecticut).

Beginning in June 2024, Chattanooga and Strong Cities convened a working group of local stakeholders – a local leadership group – representing a wide range of stakeholders, including local government, education, law enforcement, non-profit organisations, social service providers, faith leaders and community groups. The local leadership group is providing strategic direction for the production of a local framework for the prevention of hate and targeted violence, in line with a public health approach to addressing these challenges.

After conducting a needs and vulnerabilities assessment – including a community survey soliciting input on the hate and targeted violence landscape and prevention priorities – during October and November 2024, Strong Cities met with the local leadership group to discuss findings from the assessment and to brainstorm city and community-led prevention approaches to meet those needs that could inform the local prevention framework. Workshop participants included officials from the local government, Hamilton County Schools and Tennessee Highway Patrol, as well as representatives from the Islamic Center of Greater Chattanooga, Seed Theatre and the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition.

City officials outlined the need for a collaborative forum for community groups to meet and work with local leaders to discuss concerns regarding hate, violent extremism, polarisation and other threats to social cohesion, and strategise on taking steps to jointly address them. Community representatives stressed the importance of the city making all communities feel protected and respected by government leaders and agencies through strategic communications, discussion sessions and training. Participants agreed that a framework should promote social cohesion through community-building efforts, including those across ethnic and religious groups; incorporate hate and targeted violence prevention objectives into state school safety and local community violence intervention programmes; and advance efforts to provide social services for those at risk of mobilising to violence and those violent offenders reintegrating into the community. Lastly, they highlighted the importance of sustaining progress through sufficient financial resourcing, including from the local government and community-based and other foundations.

Key Findings

1. The City of Chattanooga faces a dynamic and evolving landscape of threats, vulnerabilities and strengths as the local government seeks to promote safety and inclusivity for all residents.
2. The local government should create a collaborative forum for community groups to meet and work with local leaders to discuss concerns regarding hate, violent extremism, polarisation and other threats to social cohesion and strategise on taking steps to jointly address them.
3. The city should strive to make all communities feel protected and respected by government leaders and agencies through strategic communications, discussion sessions and training.
4. A framework should promote social cohesion through community-building efforts, including those across ethnic and religious groups; incorporate hate and targeted violence prevention objectives into state school safety and local community violence. intervention programmes; and advance efforts to provide social services for those at risk of mobilising to violence and those violent offenders reintegrating into the community
5. Prevention efforts need to be sustained through sufficient financial resourcing, including from the local government and community-based and other foundations.

Next Steps

Over the coming weeks, Strong Cities, the City of Chattanooga, and the local leadership group will produce a draft local prevention framework. The draft framework will outline the city’s prevention-related goals, key objectives and approach, including an action plan for the near- and mid-term. Strong Cities will then work with the City of Chattanooga and the local leadership group on programme implementation, while continuing to seek input from the wider community on a final draft of the framework, including key metrics and performance indicators. 

Additional Resources

• Piloting Multi-Actor Frameworks in Small and Mid-Sized Cities in the United States, Strong Cities website
• Innovations in Prevention: Piloting Multi-Actor Frameworks in Small and Mid-Sized Cities in the United States, Strong Cities Network Policy Brief, July 2024
• Insights on Developing and Operationalising Whole-of-City Prevention Frameworks, Strong Cities Network Event Report, December 2023
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism and Polarisation, Strong Cities Network, updated February 2025
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network, updated January 2025

Donors and Partners

This project is funded by the DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, opportunity number DHS-23-TTP-132-00-01.

Contact Information

For more information on this event and the Strong Cities North America Regional hub, please contact [email protected].

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