The Common Ground Initiative

Ep 18 No Shame in Mental Health

Listen to Anthony Payton tell his story about struggles with mental health and wellness and to his conversation with Nicole Sublette is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, with a private practice in Manchester. Anthony Payton is a freelance writer and father living in Manchester. He can be reached at anthony.payton@collaborativenh.org. This story is part of his project, The Common Ground Initiative which aims to highlight the diversity of our communities with stories of people the average Granite Stater might not get to see or meet. The goal is to clarify misconceptions and find the threads that bind us all together as one New Hampshire community. The podcast is produced by Payton in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative and the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University. The views expressed in this podcast are the hosts alone and do not necessarily reflect those of GSNC, its partners or The Marlin Fitzwater Center.

EP 17a: “Once the streets get a hold of you…it’s hard to get away.”

In the second part of his series exploring at risk youth, Anthony Payton discusses the struggles kids in these situations face and how early intervention efforts do help to turn the tide. Payton also interviews John Rainville, Executive Director of the Manchester Police Athletic League on the impacts the program has on neighborhood kids and how volunteers can get involved.  Anthony Payton is a freelance writer and father living in Manchester. He can be reached at anthony.payton@collaborativenh.org. This story is part of his project, The Common Ground Initiative which aims to highlight the diversity of our communities with stories of people the average Granite Stater might not get to see or meet. The goal is to clarify misconceptions and find the threads that bind us all together as one New Hampshire community. The podcast is produced by Payton in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative and the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University. The views expressed in this podcast are the hosts alone and do not necessarily reflect those of GSNC, its partners or The Marlin Fitzwater Center.

EP 17: Q&A with MPAL Executive Director John Rainville

From the outside, you’d think the colossal building on the corner of Beech and Lake street in Manchester is a police academy or substation with a formidable facade. But inside, there’s an elite-level boxing gym, a well-kept kitchen used for culinary arts classes, and a huge area for wrestling and Aikido classes. This is where MPAL looks to serve the 8,600 at-risk youth within a mile of the facility and beyond. John Rainville, executive director of MPAL, explains that there is magic when officers meet and interact with community members and their children. Listen as Anthony Payton interviews Rainville on the benefits and challenges of the MPAL program in Manchester, NH.  Anthony Payton is a freelance writer and father living in Manchester. He can be reached at anthony.payton@collaborativenh.org. This story is part of his project, The Common Ground Initiative which aims to highlight the diversity of our communities with stories of people the average Granite Stater might not get to see or meet. The goal is to clarify misconceptions and find the threads that bind us all together as one New Hampshire community. The podcast is produced by Payton in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative and the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University. The views expressed in this podcast are the hosts alone and do not necessarily reflect those of GSNC, its partners or The Marlin Fitzwater Center.

S1E12 For At-Risk Kids, Seeing Death and Despair Up Close Starts Young; And Q&A w. MY TURN Executive Director Allison Joseph

In part 1 of our series, “Avoiding Prison or an early Death,” I write about my experiences growing up as at-risk youth in Brooklyn, New York, and how decades later, in a different state, communities are facing these same issues.   In this column, I look at an effective organization in Manchester, MYTURN [https://www.my-turn.org/]. MYTURN gives at-risk and disadvantaged youth the chance to focus on their goals and succeed in life. It provides mentorship and safe spaces for these young men and women to gain the skills and knowledge critical to becoming upwardly mobile members of society. I also spoke with a mentor who’s been involved in the criminal justice system and was at-risk himself.  For this interview, I also spoke with Allison Joseph, Executive Director of MYTURN.  Anthony Payton is a freelance writer and father living in Manchester. He can be reached at anthony.payton@collaborativenh.org. This story is part of his project, The Common Ground Initiative which aims to highlight the diversity of our communities with stories of people the average Granite Stater might not get to see or meet. The goal is to clarify misconceptions and find the threads that bind us all together as one New Hampshire community. The podcast is produced by Payton in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative and the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University. The views expressed in this podcast are the hosts alone and do not necessarily reflect those of GSNC, its partners or The Marlin Fitzwater Center.

S1 E 12: Q&A with MY TURN Executive Director Allison Joseph

In part 1 of our series, “Avoiding Prison or an early Death,” I write about my experiences growing up as at-risk youth in Brooklyn, New York, and how decades later, in a different state, communities are facing these same issues.   In this interview, I'm speaking with Allison Joseph, executive director of MY TURN, a mentoring program that aims to help at risk youth.    Anthony Payton is a freelance writer and father living in Manchester. He can be reached at anthony.payton@collaborativenh.org. This story is part of his project, The Common Ground Initiative which aims to highlight the diversity of our communities with stories of people the average Granite Stater might not get to see or meet. The goal is to clarify misconceptions and find the threads that bind us all together as one New Hampshire community. The podcast is produced by Payton in partnership with The Granite State News Collaborative and the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University. The views expressed in this podcast are the hosts alone and do not necessarily reflect those of GSNC, its partners or The Marlin Fitzwater Center.