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

Publication Date:

09/12/2024

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: Stamford, Connecticut (United States), 9 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).

In early 2024, the Stamford and Strong Cities convened a working group representing a wide range of local stakeholders, including local government, education, law enforcement, non-profit organisations, social service providers, faith leaders and community groups, to form a local leadership group to provide 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 convened 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 Mayor Caroline Simmons, local government officials, Connecticut State Police, Ferguson Library and the Stamford Social Services Commission, as well as representatives from the Connecticut Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation, Domus Kids, Stamford Concerned Clergy Coalition, Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church, Union Church, Stamford Jewish Community Center and Building One Community.

Mayor Simmons opened the workshop, highlighting the importance of the project and noting the city’s emphasis on community well-being and hate prevention, including a ‘unity pledge’ in August to fight racial and religious hate in the wake of antisemitic and anti-Black vandalism.

During the meeting, participants agreed on the need for a formal working group or management team to coordinate and help implement prevention efforts. City officials expressed an interest in mechanisms for safe and accurate reporting of bias incidents and hate crimes so they can fully understand the hate and targeted violence landscape as experienced by residents. Community members underscored that a city framework should advance activities that raise community awareness of the threat environment, how to respond and available resources to promote social cohesion through community-building efforts, including those across racial and religious groups. Local Leadership Group members discussed aligning state and local threat and vulnerabilities assessments and violence intervention programmes and ensuring an integrated, robust provision of social services for those at risk of mobilising to violence and those violent offenders who are reintegrating into the community. Lastly, they highlighted the importance of sustaining efforts through sufficient financial resourcing, including from the local government and community-based and other foundations.

Key Findings

1. The City of Stamford is navigating a complex landscape of threats and vulnerabilities as it strives to ensure the well-being and safety of its increasingly diverse residents.
2. The city should create a working group/management team to coordinate and help implement prevention efforts.
3. The city should provide mechanisms for safe and accurate reporting of bias incidents and hate crimes.
4. A framework should advance activities that raise community awareness of the threat of hate and targeted violence; how to respond and available resources; promote social cohesion through community-building efforts, including those across racial and religious groups; align state and local threat and vulnerabilities assessments and violence intervention programmes; and ensure an integrated, robust provision of social services for those at risk of mobilising to violence and those violent offenders who are reintegrating into the community.
5. Sustain efforts 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 Stamford, 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 Stamford 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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