Welcome to NRN Cohort 2

In our first meeting on October 10, 2024, NRN Cohort 2 met and shared individual stories about deep commitment to community, finding common ground, the search for belonging, and experiences of the richness of diversity.

We noted that moving in this fast-paced world with "heads down" stress, and a sense of being overwhelmed is typical, and that NRN is an opportunity to experience more of Needham and to engage in relationship building and social action work. We also noted the value of a focus on positivity, and a connection with ourselves as whole people in the riches of nature and community. 

ICEBREAKER:

What is one experience from the summer that influenced your understanding of someone from a different background? 

Needham Resilience Network

What is the NRN?

The NRN is a community initiative led by its members, supported administratively by the Needham Diversity Initiative (NDI), and thus far funded by The Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation, Beth Israel Hospital–Needham, and Belonging Lab at the American Immigration Council. Funding for the project stems from the recognition that our community’s political, social and physical health are intertwined and that they rely on the ability for all voices within Needham to be heard and in conversation with one another. We are currently in conversation with potential new funders.

The NRN is a "network of networks" including liaisons from 30 identity and stakeholder groups, formal representatives (e.g., the Town Manager, Superintendent of Schools, Chief of Police, etc., in ex-officio status), business, health & civic groups (both conservative and progressive organizations), and identity-based groups (whether organized or informal, based on race, ethnicity, faith, immigration status, gender and sexual identity, age and disability). While Needham’s demographics are 83% white and 17% BIPOC, the white-BIPOC breakdown within the NRN is almost 50-50%, Thus, by its very structure, the NRN centers conversation around traditionally marginalized voices.

As a Network, we have: 

• Identified Needham’s risks and challenges in terms of identity-based bias, discrimination and hate. Meetings established a common understanding around identity-based mistreatment, racism, and inequity as it pertains to Needham, and examined possible prevention pathways. 

• Created a rapid response and prevention capability to counter hate-based events and foster social cohesion. The group engaged in scenario planning and co-created and approved templates for rapid response, drawing on best practices for communications and event organizing. The work of the NRN Community Response Committee (CRC) has begun and the group is comprised of Cohort 1 participants.

• Established public outreach to produce familiarity with the Network and its goals, amplifying the message of cross-group collaboration, inclusion and equity in Needham. The administrative team of the Network, with approval from participants, maintains a public-facing website and community calendar (temporarily on pause) highlighting relevant member projects, partnerships, and events. We have co-sponsored numerous events, including Needham’s Multicultural Fair, Suitcase Stories and the NDI 2023 Summit on Belonging.

Cohort 2: Bringing Mental Health to the Community

In addition to immersing in a portion Cohort 1 curriculum, which addresses skill and relationship- building around listening and bridging across difference, NRN's Cohort 2 program proposes to train and support a diverse cohort of community leaders, each of whom is a trusted, informal “hub” within their specific community to: 

• raise awareness, increase knowledge and decrease de-stigmatization around mental health issues within their subnetwork(s)
• grow a ‘toolbox’ for shared language and initial front-line responses to mental health challenges 
• offer assistance with accessing MH supports for people in their subnetwork(s)

Cohort 2 will aim to address mental health challenges and inequities in Needham via a local awareness, education and activation campaign with four (4) components: 



• Discovery - we will begin by leveraging trusted NRN relationships with leaders from within priority populations to learn about their communities’ needs, perspectives, hopes, and networks. This would involve holding informal discussions with a group from that subnetwork to better understand how people think about mental health, questions they have, and available resources, including trusted people.

• Mental Health First Aid training - NRN Cohort 2 “Hub” leaders from these communities will be trained in mental health first aid, as well as advocacy, cultural translation, and parental skill-building. As trusted local messengers, “hub” leaders will raise awareness of mental health issues and opportunities in a language and manner appropriate for their specific community. Community education efforts will aim not just to remove obstacles to accessing mental health resources but will also seek to build protective factors and reduce risk factors for mental health. 

• Community Outreach and Activation Workshop - participants will learn best practices in communications and organization and tailor outreach plans and programs for their communities.



• Launch - hub leaders will implement conversations and programs within their communities.

We will complete the Cohort experience with a community health fair which includes "tastes" of wellbeing such as yoga, meditation, journal writing, learning booths, small group experiences - expansion on the above activities in already existing groups. 

Cohort 2 Supporters

Special thanks to Needham Community Council for supporting this Cohort and partnering with us around increasing MH awareness and resources in Needham. Gratitude also goes out to Sara Shine and Needham Youth and Family Services, who are generously providing our Mental Health First Aid training. 

Goals for the Year

• Anchor in belonging
• Build relationships
• Identify shared values
• Gain skills in comm across differences
• Address Needham’s MH challenges across sector and population
• Trainings (Mental Health First Aid training in January and during our February meeting) & Stipend (for all participants to honor the extensive outreach and training work) 

Group Bios

Participants signed for a particular month where they will share information about the community/organization to which they liaise. These presentations will be no more than 3 minutes and may be shared with no more than 3 slides (or no slides) to be sent to the co-facilitators by the Monday before that month’s meeting. Group bios will include:

• Mission/Reason for the group
• Activities or ways in which the group connects to the community
• What the participant/group hopes to give to and receive from the Network

Each meeting 3-4 participants will share brief descriptions of their subnetwork in order to know each other and our organizations and communities more deeply.  

Flow of the Year