Working Together, Solving Community Issues

After participating in the 113th Arizona Town Hall last month, I felt a renewed sense of optimism and purpose. Although the gathering was held virtually because of the COVID-19 omicron variant, the focus of the discussion was Creating Vibrant Communities, which aligns with my role as executive director of the Yavapai County Workforce Development Board. The discussion was lively, respectful and productive. It felt as though we were emerging from the gloom of the past two years of the pandemic, ready to roll up our sleeves and get back to work.

The Arizona Town Hall provided a process that allowed us to imagine a stronger, vibrant Arizona together, and the time and space to reimagine how to accomplish that result. Although the participants were keenly aware of the many effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on Arizonans, we discussed a variety of innovative, collaborative programs to improve community health. We discussed the role of schools and libraries as community life centers. We called on elected officials to rise above political polarization to represent all constituents. We supported nonpartisan and bipartisan public private partnerships under a community development framework that celebrates and incorporates civility, humility, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

One of the biggest takeaways was the need for all entities engaged in promoting community health to optimize funding and improve services by partnering and collaborating across all sectors. We urged them to break down silos and to establish a statewide information and resource clearinghouse. Through partnered communication we repeatedly found that although governmental participation and funds are needed, much can also be achieved through better communication, collaboration, integration of existing programs and private action. And, we repeatedly urged all these entities to regularly hold Town Hall style events.

I am always amazed by the Town Hall process. During 2021, the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) held a series of community town halls to gather information about how our communities respond to disasters and emergencies. Not only did we obtain useful information and ideas, but the participants also responded very positively to the experience of engaging with one another in that way.

As the nation has adapted to a new era of communication and learning, many workforce boards continue to seek clarity, look for best practices and prepare for a wide range of issues on the horizon. Because the Town Hall process is designed to facilitate deep and meaningful conversations among strangers, it produces a satisfying, enjoyable experience with the potential to promote stronger social connections and well-being in the long term while revealing innovative ideas with innovative outcomes or strategies.

The Yavapai County Workforce Development Board will be partnering with Arizona Town Hall to explore workforce issues with business, labor and other sectors of our community. We plan to bring people together to get a better understanding of how the pandemic and other factors have affected employers and businesses in the region. Why have some employees left their jobs and not returned? What can be done to attract, train and retain the workforce that Yavapai County needs to thrive? What are the best practices and innovations being deployed in other communities? How can we best use the resources available to us to build the workforce of the future?

The Workforce Development Board and Arizona Town Hall both work to address the needs of communities. To do that effectively requires collaboration and engagement with community members. According to Bureau of Labor statistics, the average person spends less than 10 minutes per day reading to pursue a personal interest. Six in 10 Americans read or watch the news headlines but do not dig any deeper. The opportunity to focus a community member’s attention on a topic for 60 to 90 minutes, in which they are engaged in a facilitated discussion they find interesting and enjoyable, is priceless. As a bonus, such discussions also generate enthusiasm for community action. We will conclude our processes with a written report that becomes a platform for future community engagement. QCBN

By Teri Drew

If you’d like to become involved in the upcoming Town Hall events, send your contact information to NACOG for more information, 928-778-1422.

Teri Drew is the regional director for Northern Arizona Council of Governments Economic/Workforce Development (NACOG-EWD).