LaunchPad Teen Center helps Yavapai County “Better Together” by encouraging residents to use its productive discussion guidebook to foster civic conversation by sharing meals. We continue our mission to support

Productive conversations are no easy task, and without the tools to foster understanding and respect, it can be difficult to avoid escalating conflicts during discussions. Launch Pad’s Teen Advisory Council (TAC) has worked to address this issue and provide Yavapai County citizens with the resources they need to advance civic discourse through the Better Together campaign.

Over the past eight months, teens have worked hard to collect nearly 1,000 surveys from members across the community who are willing to share issues they’ve identified as difficult to discuss.

The campaign’s overarching goal is to help mend the divisions that many Prescott residents report feeling within their community, with one-third of participants agreeing to discuss controversial topics. This is reflected in survey data showing that people feel their opinions are rejected when they express their opinions about

TAC teens spent weekends from May to December 2022 researching local farmers markets, visiting restaurants and shops, and giving presentations to churches and other organizations. After analyzing the data from the survey, Yavapai County members found that when asked if they felt there was a division in our county, more than 81% of participants said yes, indicating that we It is clear that they feel there is strong discord in their community.

These results proved to the teens that the time has come for change and they are ready to deliver it. Now they need your help to begin the next stage of their journey.

From the data collected in the survey, TAC teenagers created a guidebook outlining steps for effective communication. This guidebook provides communication techniques that promote empathy and understanding, allowing community members to express their opinions while recognizing the validity of other points of view. TAC’s goal is to have 200 families commit to using the guidebook while dining together once a quarter (once every three months or once a week for a month) .

The success of the Better Together campaign depends on the involvement of all members of Yavapai County. Fragmentation consolidates the ability to affect everyone and undermine entire communities. It’s time to rebuild the connection step by step. Starting with home-cooked conversations, the purpose of this guidebook is to present the results of our research and provide our community with a powerful communication tool. This will encourage respect and understanding in any way you can in your day-to-day interactions. Big or small.

All of the divisive issues presented in the guidebook are drawn directly from the results of the Better Together survey, giving families the opportunity to pick and choose topics they feel are appropriate and relevant to discuss. I’m here. All voices matter, and Launch Pad wants to make sure all voices are heard without the threat of escalating conflict.

Diversity is the hallmark of our city, so let’s work together to make our city a home for everyone, one meal at a time.

Sign up to receive the guidebook, use the QR code below to join our quarterly dinner discussion, or visit: https://form.jotform.com/223536174823154.

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