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North America Regional Hub: Multi-Actor Frameworks – Prevention Initiative Workshop in Overland Park (Kansas, USA)

Publication Date:

03/12/2024

Content Type:

Event Reports

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local leadership groupsmulti-actor prevention frameworksNorth America Regional Hubtargeted violence

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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: Overland Park, Kansas (United States), 3 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 early 2024, Overland Park 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) in October and November 2024, Strong Cities convened the Overland Park 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, the Overland Park Police Department and Johnson County, as well as representatives from Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Jewish Community Relations Bureau | American Jewish Committee Kansas City, Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce and SevenDays.

Participants agreed on the need for a formal working group or management team to coordinate and help execute prevention efforts. City officials expressed a desire to increase its situational awareness of the dynamic hate and targeted violence landscape, both online and in Johnson County, where Overland Park sits. Community members discussed the importance of empowering youth in prevention efforts and providing safe, independent social spaces to foster community among young people. Members agreed that a framework should include activities to raise awareness and build resilience to online harms among adults, parents and youth, as well as a focus on social cohesion by promoting community connectedness and civil dialogue. Lastly, they stressed the importance of prevention efforts needing to be sustained through sufficient financial resourcing, including from a robust local philanthropic sector in and around Overland Park.

Key Findings

1. The City of Overland Park is navigating a challenging landscape of threats and vulnerabilities as it works to safeguard its vibrant and diverse community.
2. A working group/management team should be established to coordinate and help implement prevention policies and programmes.
3. City officials need to increase the city’s situational awareness of the dynamic hate and extremism landscape, both online and in Johnson County.
4. A framework should raise awareness and build resilience to online hate and extremism among adults, parents and youth; fostering social cohesion through a deliberate effort to promote community connectedness and civil dialogue; and empower youth in prevention efforts and provide safe, independent social spaces to foster community among young people.
5. Prevention efforts need to be sustained through sufficient financial resourcing, including by leveraging a robust local philanthropic sector.

Next Steps

Over the coming weeks, Strong Cities, the City of Overland Park, 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 Overland Park 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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