Marketing Hometown America Snapshot

Introduction

Declining rural populations have been making the news for decades. There is little doubt that the population trend line of the many rural counties across the country has been down (Cromartie, 2020). Nearly 35 percent of the rural counties within the U.S. have experienced prolonged and significant population loss (Johnson and Lichter, 2019).

However, data indicate that just because some rural areas are declining, it does not mean that all areas are declining or are destined to decline. Rural population gains are often seen in high-amenity counties that encourage both tourism and early retiree relocation, and in counties located just beyond metropolitan borders. But those are not the only places gains are being seen. Rural areas across the nation are becoming more culturally diverse with “racial and ethnic minorities accounting for 83

percent of rural population growth between 2000 and 2010” (Johnson, 2012).

Added to these national trends is the recent large-scale experience of remote work that developed in response to the 2020 pandemic. Those experiences have blurred the lines between ‘home’ and ‘work,’ both for the employer and the employee. The implications of remote work on a larger societal scale are still unknown, but the possibilities of living and working anywhere are intriguing.

These changes are opening new opportunities for the recruitment of people into rural areas. Some communities are realizing that the quality of life they provide could be marketed, and can often be one of the key relocation factors for people looking to move to rural areas from suburban and urban areas (Cantrell,

MHA Program Process

Organize Meetings

Marketing Hometown America (MHA) coaches meet with sponsoringpotentialorganizations in the community to promote the program and answer questions. A local sponsor or sponsoring groups commit to the program.

Recruit Conversation Hosts

Identify six to eight (or more) Conversation Hosts from your community to lead members through each community conversation.

Train Conversation Hosts

MHA coaches come to your community to train Conversation Hosts in an approximate six-hour training session. This training includes facilitation tips and information about how to run the program.

Launch

Invite everyone in the community to learn about the process and sign up for a community conversation group. The launch can be held in conjunction with another community activity. MHA coaches are often in attendance.

Burkhart-Kriesel, Johnson, Narjes, and Vogt, 2008; Winchester, 2012).

Quality of life can mean different things to different people. Current community members may not be able to see each community asset through the eyes of a potential newcomer. In the business world, the term ‘marketing’ is used to explain the varied ways a business connects a product or service to a customer. When marketing a community, a slightly different model is needed. The MHA Marketing Model reimagines the “P’s” of marketing: (1) people; (2) product (our community); (3) position and promotion; and (4) ultimately, put into practice and perform. The illustration and descriptions on page 3 show how they connect.

Community Conversation YOUSessionsAREHERE

NOW.

Group members work with a Conversation Host through four sessions to develop a Community Marketing Plan for recruiting, retaining and welcoming newcomers.

Plan Action Forum

MHA coaches meet with Conversation Hosts and the community Steering Committee to help them prepare for the Action Forum.

Action Forum

The entire community is invited to hear community conversation recommendations.groupThey will help choose an Action Plan to market the community to prospective individuals and families, and then move ideas into implementation.

Action Team Huddles and Coaching

MHA coaches assist the Steering Committee to help each Action Team as it moves forward. About every three months, all of the teams come together to update the community on their progress.

Marketing Hometown America Marketing Model

#1 People

#2 Product: The

#4 Perform

#1 — People

COVERED IN SESSIONS 1 & 2

It is important to understand the connection people have with the community. It is vital to identify and appreciate what people want as they think about relocation. It is also important to understand the experiences of those who have recently moved into the community, and what they see that the community potentially has to offer. Ultimately, many people want to feel welcomed and emotionally attached to their community. This helps to create a sense of belonging.

#2 — Product: The Community

COVERED IN SESSIONS 2 & 3

This is the time to take a hard, objective look at the benefits of living in the community

These benefits need to be viewed through the eyes of potential newcomers. What is there to offer people who may choose to live in your community? This is an opportunity to make your best case for relocating to and living in the community.

#3 — Position & Promotion COVERED IN SESSIONS 3 & 4

There are always ways to create a more welcoming place. It is critical that actions have broad appeal to a variety of potential newcomers, including groups of people that might have been overlooked in the past. Once groups have been identified, find creative and effective ways to promote and publicize the community as a great place to live, work, and play for all.

#4 — Perform COVERED AFTER THE ACTION FORUM

Finally, it is time to take action to strengthen each identified community asset. Immediate and longer-term actions are designed to enhance existing assets or create new ones. These assets can then be packaged and promoted to make your town a destination community. Ultimately, putting ideas into action requires people involvement. Design a process to ensure people have the skills and resources needed to successfully implement and perform.

For rural communities wanting to double down on their efforts to recruit and retain new community members, the marketing “P’s” listed above are an asset-based launching pad for a productive community discussion that can lead to action. The realistic “can do” approach is a good match for rural areas working to grow their communities.

MHA

MHA

Why Conversations?CommunityUse

This discussion guide will foster conversations about our community and why we live here. We will also discover why people would want to relocate here. What makes our community unique and alive? What more could we do to transform our community into one that is more welcoming, attractive, and comfortable?

Our process is simple. First, we look at our own experiences. Then we identify what assets we have, discuss what can be done to attract people to our community, work together on a plan for action, and then implement those plans.

What is a Conversation?Community

Eight to 12 people will form a conversation group. They will represent different social networks within the Groupscommunity.will organize around times and dates that best fit their schedules. They will meet for four 2.5-hour sessions of structured conversations, using this guide as a reference.

Trained Conversation Hosts will lead each discussion, with note takers (or recorders) keeping records.

After Session 4, groups will come together in an Action Forum to share ideas.

During the Community Conversation phase of MHA, each session builds on the previous session. Here are the topics:

What is Our Connection to this Community?

SESSION 1

• Get to know each other.

• Talk about how we are connected to the community.

• Share what you like about your community.

How Does Our Community Stack Up?

SESSION 2

• Consider what people look for when they move to a new place.

• Analyze U.S. Census Bureau population data to better understand community demographics.

• Fill out a report card on our community.

Why Would People Want to Move Here?

SESSION 3

• Begin to develop a vision for our community.

• Identify marketing opportunities.

Action Steps to Promote Our Community

SESSION 4

• Create a Community Marketing Plan focused on the strengths of our community.

• Offer tangible ideas to make our community more marketable.

Action Forum

After the fourth session, community members will be invited to participate in an Action Forum to select their favorite ideas from the small group conversations. Action Teams will form to implement projects. New ideas will start to take shape.

Action Team Huddles

After the Action Forum, the work of your team is some of the most critical work for your community. This comes in the form of an Action Team huddle. Each team implements ideas that create a more marketable and welcoming environment. This is an ongoing effort that will help make your community a great place to live. Extension coaches will be available to help support the teams and their plans. The Action Team huddle should occur about every three months after the Action Forum.

What is ConnectionOur to Our Community?

In this first session, we will get to know one another and talk about our connections to our community, and what we value in our community. It’s about discovering what helps to build a commitment and sense of community belonging.

Your Conversation Host will:

• Introduce self, and explain their role to help group members have a conversation that makes room for all voices. The host will not share their own views or stories, or try to push an agenda.

• Provide a comfortable and casual atmosphere to encourage a productive, positive conversation.

• Help facilitate this four-part session. Use the amount of time suggested for each part as a guide. If a group runs out of time, the host will choose the questions that seem most relevant.

• Collect participant contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses.

• Review dates and times of the sessions and Action Forum.

PART 1 MINUTES

MAKING CONNECTIONS

As a group, take 15 minutes to read through the Introduction and discuss the Marketing Hometown America (MHA) marketing model and process. Understand the important role this group has in creating a more welcoming place for the community. Allow time for each person to discuss the following questions as they see fit:

1. Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

2. If you previously lived somewhere else, how were you welcomed into that community? Did you feel a part of it? If so, why or why not?

3. Do you know someone who has moved here recently? What was that person’s

Finally,experience?review the Conversation Guidelines, adding suggestions to the list provided. Decide what works best for your group to make sure everyone is welcomed and heard. These guidelines will be displayed during each conversation.

A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Interacting with others in the community can help us understand how others are connected to the community in which we live. It helps us to learn from each other and appreciate what makes us all unique—our histories, values, likes, and dislikes.

Instructions for Activity

The following activity is a visual way to see how we are connected as a community. Moving forward or back, raising hands up or down, or using other methods will show how we are all connected differently.

This activity should be conducted in a large open area where participants can move around easily.

Each participant will stand and form a line in the middle of the room. If space is limited, people can respond by raising hands, or using some other method.

There are no right or wrong answers. This is just a way to visually understand our unique community connections.

Host will read the following statements to the group. Participants will respond according to what is true for them, for example stepping forward or stepping back. If the statement doesn’t apply, participants will stand still. Discussion of the questions between each statement is encouraged.

Activity Move Forward, Move Back (or other methods)

1. If you moved to this community as an adult, step forward one step.

What brought you to this community?

2. If you have lived in this community your whole life, step forward two steps.

What has encouraged you to stay in the community? Do you feel connected to the community? What happened throughout your life to create a connection?

3. If you don’t have extended family in this community, step back one step.

Would you feel more connected to this community if extended family lived here? What could help you feel more connected?

4. If your number one reason for moving to this community was a job, step forward one step.

How important is the ability to make a living when you move to a new community? What did your employer do to help you feel more connected?

5. If you believe this community values education, supporting both youth and adult learners, step forward one step.

What are some of the reasons you feel this way?

6. If you have been encouraged to join organizations, step forward two steps. How do you feel about that? How important is it to be involved?

7. If you know a person to call to find community information, step forward one step.

Are there people in the community who seem to know all the answers? If so, how easy is it to find those people? Are people ready to welcome newcomers, and help them become part of the community?

8. If you have lived here for more than 10 years and still feel like an outsider, step back one step.

Why do you think that happens? Would it be intentional? Are there ways to better integrate people into the community?

Debriefing Part 2:

1. What did you discover about your community?

2. What surprised you?

3. How easy or hard is it to feel like a local (welcomed, respected, listened to, etc.)?

PART 3 20 MINUTES

VALUES SHARED IN THIS

1.COMMUNITY

How does the community respond to people who are new? What might be the reasons we respond differently to some newcomers?

2. What do you value about living in this community? What’s going well? What’s not going so well?

3. What do you believe people from nearby communities say about this community? What is the community known for?

PART 4 15 MINUTES

THINKING BACK

What did you learn in this session?

How do diverse experiences enrich the community?

3. Why is it important to provide a sense of belonging or connection to the community?

Preparing for the Next Session

5 MINUTES

Select one of the options below. Think what you like about living in our community, and things you would like to change in our community. Find examples, and bring them with you to the next session.Email photos/images to Community Host to print out.

Ask a teacher 4-H club leader or other youth leader to have their class/ group take photos or draw pictures of something they like and something they don’t like in the community.

Look through magazines, newspapers or online to find images.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 1

MHA Materials 3

Community Roles and Objectives

MODULE 1 Overview of Marketing Hometown America

The MHA Process 5

Study Circle Connections 7

Hands-on Look at the Participant Guide 9

Reflections & Notes 10

MODULE 2 Understanding Communication Styles

Activity 1 – Cultural Communications Quiz 11

Patterns of Cultural Differences 12

Direct and Indirect Communication Styles 13

The Challenge to be a Neutral Host: Checking Out Our Biases 14

Reflections & Notes 14

MODULE 3 Exploring Individual Differences and Shared Networks

Dimensions of Diversity 15

Activity 2 – Diversity Wheel 16

Understanding Social Networks 17

Reflections & Notes 18

MODULE 4 Recruiting Participants

Activity 3 – Participant Recruitment | Bridging Social Networks 19

Populating the Community Conversations 22

Reflections & Notes 22

MODULE 5 Facilitating Community Conversations

Roles of Conversation Hosts 23

Three Phases of Facilitation 23

Phase 1: Preparation 23

Phase 2: Working with the Group 24

Activity 4 – Preparing for Facilitation 27

Phase 3: Follow-up 32

Reflections & Notes 32

MODULE 6 Managing Group Dynamics

Overview of Group Dynamics 33

Role of a Conversation Host – Attention to Group Dynamics 33

Activity 5 – Options for Responding to Difficult Behaviors 34

Helpful and Not-so-Helpful Behaviors 35

Reflections & Notes 37

Conversation Host Training Wrap-Up

Nine Primary Tasks of Conversation Hosts 38

Online Resources 39

References 40

Practice Being a Community Conversation Host 41

Full Network Mapping Instructions 42

MHA Materials

The MHA program provides materials for Trainers, Conversation Hosts, and Community Conversation participants. A brief description of each is provided below. Throughout this training, you will learn more about each component of the MHA program and how they are best used.

MATERIALS

Conversation Host Trainers Guide: Curriculum used by the MHA Extension Coach to train the Conversation Host volunteers.

Conversation Host Workbook: Distributed to Conversation Hosts during the host training and used in preparation for Community Conversations.

Marketing Hometown America Participant Guide: Distributed by Conversation Hosts to participants in their community conversation group.

After Action Forum: Implementation (website resources): Used by MHA Extension Coach, Steering and Action Teams for the development of a community action plan and implementation.

CONVERSATION HOST PACKET

Upon completion of the Conversation Host training, individuals who plan to host a community conversation will receive a packet of materials for 10 participants: flip chart

Community Roles & Objectives

Individuals participating in the MHA program may have multiple roles in which they participate, from serving as a Community Champion to assisting with implementation of the determined community actions. Each role is important to creating a successful MHA program in your community.

ROLES

Community Champions (1-2 people)

• Individuals who initiate the MHA program, encourage community participation, and identify individuals who are representative of the community to serve on the Steering Committee.

Steering Committee (5-7 people)

• Oversee and guide the MHA process.

• Promote and engage with community members throughout MHA.

• Identify individuals representative of the community to serve as Conversation Hosts.

• Set event dates and help with logistical coordination and notifications.

• Participate in all related events and promote MHA at other community events.

• Host or participate in a community conversation.

Conversation Hosts (8-15 people, depending on community size)

• Lead four community conversations over a six- week time period.

• Assist the Steering Committee with promotions.

• Recruit representative individuals to participate to conversation groups.

• Facilitate productive conversations and activities using the MHA Host Workbook and Participant Guide.

• Help to share the group’s plan at the Action Forum.

Community Conversation Participants (8-12 people per group)

• Participate in the four community conversation sessions.

• Engage in productive conversations about the community’s strengths and needs.

• Help share the group’s plan at the Action Forum.

MHA Extension Coach

• Works with the Steering Committee to implement the program.

• Trains Community Conversation Hosts.

• Provides materials and coordination support.

• Attends Launch, Action Forum & Huddles.

ALL

• Work together as a community to implement identified actions that attract and retain community members.

Objectives

Individuals who participant in the MHA process will:

• Understand how a community can market itself to attract and retain community members.

• Learn and practice the skills of positive community dialogue to increase community members’ ability to market their community.

• Identify what newcomers are looking for as they relocate to a rural community.

• Discover overlooked local assets that can be highlighted to attract newcomers and retain community members.

• Build and implement marketing action plans that incorporate realistic and achievable strategies to successfully market a community.

• Understand the importance of a positive image that can be projected throughout the community, including virtual channels such as websites and social media.

• Increase the community’s capacity to address future issues through community engagement practices.

What is a Launch Event?

How you launch the MHA program in your community is primarily up to the steering committee and the conversation hosts. It can have a different look and feel in every community. Options to consider:

• Hold a separate informal “open house” where people can attend during a designated time to learn the basics of the program, ask questions, and connect with the conversation hosts to sign up for a session.

• Combine the Launch with an existing community event where the program can be briefly explained, conversation hosts are introduced, and people are encouraged to sign up. One community paired this with their fall school “welcome back” event which also encouraged young adults to participate in the MHA program as well.

• Host a formal event that set the stage for “why” the MHA program is coming to your community, including changing community demographics. Provide an overview of the program, allow time for Hosts to speak and recruit community

Regardlessparticipants.ofhow

the Launch is organized, the goal is to communicate the program, explain why the community is doing it, and encourage people to participate. The tone should be “come join us to make our community a better place to live, work and play.”

The launch should be fun. Invite the local media, celebrate past successes and look forward to creating positive change within the community. As always, have snacks handy!

The Community Conversations you host will meet four times, each session building on the one before. Your discussions and activities will lead you to fresh ideas, and build a vision and actions to grow your community.

Session One: What is Our Connection to this Community?

Session Two: How Does Our Community Stack Up?

Session Three: Why Would People Want to Move Here? (Analyzing the Community Report Card)

Session Four: Action Steps to Promote Our Community? (Developing the Marketing Plan)

An Action Forum brings everyone back together to share ideas generated in the different community conversations. From these ideas, a master action plan is developed along with the implementation steps. Action Teams will implement ideas that create a more marketable and welcoming environment.

Action Team Huddles provide a mechanism for teams to check-in, review plan progress, and revise actions as needed to reach a successful outcome.

What is Diversity?

Differences among people with respect to age, socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practices, and other human differences.

Source: Navigating Difference, Washington State University Extension (2015).

Study ConnectionsCircle

Marketing Hometown America is an adaptation to the Everyday Democracy dialogue process. It is designed around the concept of study circles for the community conversations hosted by volunteers from the community. Study circles are small-group dialogues where all voices are equal, and people listen respectfully.

Participants examine complex issues and discuss possible solutions. Study circles usually involve large numbers of people organized into many different circles. The study circle process helps communities develop their own ability to solve problems by bringing a diverse group of people together to think, talk, and work to create change.

The Conversation Host is essential to helping the members talk and work together productively. This training will help you develop or refresh the skills you will need to become a competent Conversation Host.

What is a Conversation?Community

A simple and powerful process for democratic discussion and community Small-groupproblem-solving.democracy in action – all viewpoints are taken seriously, and each participant has an equal opportunity to Aparticipate.face-to-face, facilitated dialogue that helps people understand issues in the community and how to work together to find solutions.

A small, diverse group of 8 to 12 people. Meets in two-hour sessions.

Sets its own conversation guidelines to help the group share responsibility for the quality of the discussion.

Led by a Conversation Host who helps manage the discussion. The host is not there to teach the group.

Begins with people getting to know one another, then helps the group look at issues and opportunities from many points of view. The group then explores possibilities that lead to the development of ideas for action and Dialoguechange.

Did you know?

The Highlander Folk School, founded by Miles Horton in the 1930s, used study circles to empower people to find solutions for themselves to address issues around social and economic inequality. Attendees of the school included Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source: The MagazineTennessee(2013).

is used by participants to build trust and explore the problem. This can include viewpoints, data, and other content. Participants also deliberate—weighing the pros and cons of different choices. This leads to concrete action ideas.

Involves creating a ‘summary,’ which is a time to reflect on key themes and look for common ground.

It ends with a wrap-up, offering instructions for the next discussion.

It offers participants a chance to ask (and answer) questions: How did things go? What would we like to change?

Source: Excerpts from Everyday Democracy (2008).

WhatComparisonCommunityConversationsAreandWhatTheyAreNot:

Community Conversations Are:

• Small-group discussions that combine dialogue, deliberation, and problem-solving. Based on balanced discussion materials, the dialogue is enriched by the members’ knowledge and experience. Community conversations are aided by an impartial host whose job is to keep the discussion on track.

• Discussions where people examine a public issue from many angles, and work together to find solutions that can lead to positive change in the community.

Community Conversations Are Not:

• Conflict resolution. A set of principles and techniques used in resolving conflict between individuals or groups.

• Mediation. A process used to settle disputes

that relies on an outside, neutral person (a mediator) to help the disputing parties come to an agreement. (Mediators often make excellent facilitators, and have many skills in common.)

• Focus groups. Small groups organized to gather or test information. Participants (who are sometimes paid) are often recruited to represent a particular viewpoint or target audience.

• Traditional education. A teacher instructs students.

• Facilitated meetings with a predetermined agenda. A committee or board meeting with tasks established ahead of time.

• Town meetings. Large-group meetings where citizens make decisions on community policies.

• Public hearings. Large-group public meetings that allow concerns to be aired.

Source: Everyday Democracy (2008).

Reprinted with permission.

Hands-On Look

at the Participant Guide

Everyone who participates in the MHA program receives a Participant Guide. The guidebook details questions, discussions, and actions for each of the community conversations. During each session, you and participants walk through the different segments that build upon each other and culminate in the Community Marketing Plan, which is presented during the Action Forum.

This is your opportunity to make notes in your Participant Guide, which has more explanation of the model, program sequence, and community conversation process.

Common Elements

As mentioned earlier, there are four sessions for the community conversations. Each session is designed to be completed within about 2 – 2.5 hours. Each session will provide host tips, activities, and reflection and preparation segments.

Host Will

Tips are quick reminders and suggestions for you, as a host, to prepare and facilitate each session’s discussion. You may also want to refer back to this workbook and any other materials.

Segment Times

Suggested times are provided for each segment to help keep the group on track and to allow the group to complete the discussion within the set times. Starting and ending each session on time is a courtesy to individuals with other commitments.

Activities

Activities are designed to help groups reach an understanding or consensus. Having a recorder

to document insights and decisions resulting from the activities will help members recall earlier conversations and prepare them for the next session.

Reflection and Preparation

At the completion of each session, members have an opportunity to reflect on the session discussions, providing final insights or points they want to share. This is also the time for you to ask the members to complete outside tasks for use in the next community conversation.

Session Details

Session #1 – What Is Our Connection to this Community? (Page 7 of Participant Guide)

This is the time to get acquainted and explore ways people in the group got involved in the community and what they value. A Deeper Understanding of Community Connections activity is a visual method of “seeing” connections. It’s a fun activity that helps group members share and appreciate each other’s differences, and how they are connected to each other in the community. For the next session, participants are asked to bring images of the things they like about the community.

Session #2 – How Does Our Community Stack Up? (Page 10)

This discussion focuses on what people liked, through the images that they brought, the consideration factors newcomers often use when they are contemplating a move to a new location, and some basic facts about the community. You will also look over basic demographic information about your community. This information will be provided to you by the Extension faculty person. For the next session, people are asked to complete their own Community Report Card and ask at least two other people to complete a report card by the next session — someone newer

Marketing

Table of

Acknowledgments

Community Roles and Objectives

Conversation Host Training Outline Overview

One-Day Training Format

Two-Half Day Training Format

MODULE 1

Overview: Marketing Hometown America

Learning Objectives & Supply List 7

The MHA Process 7

Study Circle Connections 10

Hands-on Look at the Participant Guide 12 References & Host Reflection 15

Activity 3 – Participant Recruitment | Bridging Social Networks 28

Populating the Community Conversations 31 Host Reflection 31

MODULE Facilitating5 Community Conversations

Learning Objectives & Supply List 32

Roles of Conversation Hosts 33

Three Phases of Facilitation 33

Phase 1: Preparation 33

Phase 2: Working with the Group 34

Activity 4 – Preparing for Facilitation 37

Phase 3: Follow-up 39

Understanding2

MODULE

Communication Styles

Learning Objectives & Supply List 16

Activity 1 – Cultural Communications Quiz 17

Patterns of Cultural Differences 18

Direct and Indirect Communication Styles 19

The Challenge to be a Neutral Host:

Checking Out Our Biases & Host Reflection

MODULE 3

Exploring Individual Differences

Learning Objectives & Supply List of Diversity

Activity 2 – Diversity Wheel

Understanding Social Networks & Host Reflection

MODULE 4

Recruiting Participants

Learning Objectives & Supply List

References & Host Reflection 39

MODULE 6

Managing Group Dynamics

Learning Objectives & Supply List 40 Overview of Group Dynamics 40

Role of a Conversation Host – Attention to Group Dynamics 41

Activity 5 – Options for Responding to Difficult Behaviors 41

Helpful and Not-So-Helpful Behaviors 43 References & Host Reflection 46

Conversation Host Training Wrap-Up Nine Primary Tasks of Conversation Hosts 47

Online Resources 48

After the Action Forum 49

Appendix Practice Being a Conversation Host 50

Full Network Mapping Instructions 51 Trainer Notes & Ideas

Conversation Host Training Outline Overview

1 DAY OR 2 DAY OPTIONS

One-Day Training Format [~6 hours, plus 45 minutes lunch]

Time Topic

60 minutes

Module I – Overview: Marketing Hometown America

45 minutes Module II – Understanding Communication Styles 10 minutes Break

60 minutes Module III – Exploring Individual Differences and Shared Networks

30 minutes

Lunch Video: The Danger of a Single Story/TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (optional)

45 minutes Module IV – Recruiting Participants

60 minutes Module V – Facilitating Skills for Community Conversations

10 minutes Break

30 minutes Module VI – Managing Group Dynamics

30 minutes Module VII – Planning for Facilitation 10 minutes

Wrap-Up & Evaluation

Two-Half Day Training Format [~3-hour training segments]

Time Topic

Part 1 [3 hours]

Module I – Overview of Marketing Hometown America

60 minutes Module 1 – Overview of Marketing Hometown America

45 minutes Module II – Understanding Communication Styles

10 minutes Break

60 minutes Module III – Exploring Individual Differences and Shared Networks

5 minutes Wrap up for Part 1

Part 2 [~3 hours]

Module V – Facilitating Skills for Community Conversations

45 minutes Module IV – Recruiting Participants

60 minutes Module V – Facilitating Skills for Community Conversations

10 minutes Break

30 minutes

Module VI – Managing Group Dynamics

30 minutes Module VII – Planning for Facilitation 10 minutes

Wrap Up and Evaluation

Overview:MARKETINGHOMETOWN AMERICA

LearningminutesObjectives:

Time: 60

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• Effectively navigate their responsibilities as a Community Conversation Host.

• Describe the MHA curriculum and process.

• Apply the study circle model to their community conversations. Teaching Outline with Supply List

Time Topic

10 min Quick Introductions

10 min Overview of the MHA Process

15 min Study Circle Connections

25 min Hands-on Look at the Participant Guide

[Context]

Supplies

Nametags or table tents, markers, pens, flip charts

Conversation Host Workbook, p. 5 Participant Guide, p. 1

Conversation Host Workbook, p. 7

Conversation Host Workbook, p. 9

In this module, conversation hosts will gain a better understanding of the MHA processes: the community conversations, the MHA Marketing Plan, and roles many have in delivery of the program. Start with quick introductions of individuals in the room. Use the first set of questions in the Participant Guide to demonstrate how introductions are used in the community conversations. Stress that this is a quick introduction, as they will have time throughout the training to share and get to know each other.

[Script]

Welcome to the Marketing Hometown America Conversation Host training. To get started, let’s find out who is all in the room, using some of the questions that you will use during the first session of your community conversations.

• Who are you?

• Where were you born?

• Where did you grow up?

The MHA Process

To get started, we’re going to take a high-level view of the MHA process and all the moving parts of this program. On page 5 of your Host Workbook, you will find an illustration of the MHA process. The diagram shows the sequence of the organizing efforts, the community launch, conversations, and action phases.

Ackowledgments

The Marketing Hometown America program was initially funded in 2012 through the assistance of a University of Nebraska Rural Futures Institute grant and supported by two rural development grants from the former USDA National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program. The 2022 revision was funded through the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (https://ncrcrd.ag.purdue.edu/). Originally conceived as a curriculum to support rural newcomer recruitment primarily in the Great Plains, the approach has also sparked interest from rural communities across the U.S. as well as from across the globe.

The effort owes special thanks to Everyday Democracy (www.everyday-democracy.org) for content on the study circle community engagement process. Everyday Democracy is the primary project of The Paul J. Aicher Foundation, a national, nonpartisan, non-profit organization. The organization helps communities develop capacity to solve problems by bringing diverse groups of people together in a dialogue across race, income, age, and political viewpoints. They have worked with neighborhoods, cities and towns, regions, and states across the country since 1989.

The 2022 updated Marketing Hometown America curriculum was created by a team of community development focused Extension faculty from land-grant universities in the North Central region. The revision focused on three main goals: (1) highlight and incorporate the principles of diversity and inclusion throughout the process; (2) incorporate group facilitation practices from contributing institutions; and (3) provide a variety of electronic tools and resources for sponsoring organizations and communities.

The writing and design team included:

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Lynn Adams, adamsml@iastate.edu

Jill Sokness, previously with ISU

South Dakota State University Extension: Kari O’Neill, kari.oneill@sdstate.edu

Peggy Schlechter, peggy.schlechter@sdstate.edu

University of Minnesota Extension: Rani Bhattacharyya, rani-b@umn.edu

Neil Linscheid, lins0041@umn.edu

Jennifer Hawkins, hawki044@umn.edu

Jody Horntvedt, hornt001@umn.edu

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension: Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, cburkhartkriesel1@unl.edu

Marilyn Schlake, mschlake1@unl.edu

Special assistance was provided by: Graphic Design: Pixel Lab, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

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