Community Voice Initiative

Community Voice Initiative

Community Voice Initiative

Community Voice Initiative

Leading Positive Community-Driven Change

We believe if we empower people in the places where they live, lifting their voices and building their power to shape the services and programs that affect them, lead to community-driven solutions. By amplifying community voices to drive locally determined solutions, this strategy aims to influence systemic racism and discriminatory practices by influencing inequitable policies, systems, and structures that improve health and well-being for all.

Goal One

Build on community capacity and leadership to increase personal responsibility, voice, and skills that influence systems, policies, and distribution of community resources.

Goal Two

Stimulate philanthropic, government, and individuals to co-invest in public-private partnerships to advance community health.

In November – December 2022, over 100 members of the Greater Coatesville community convened and developed seven challenge questions for the Let’s Talk: Community-Designed Challenge relating to economic development, behavioral health, health recovery, education, workforce, and housing. The challenge questions were informed by publicly available data and a content area expert.

The Alliance encourages the Greater Coatesville community to submit ideas and solutions to the challenge questions for financial awards. We will select ten (10) ideas and solutions for each event date in the Let’s Talk Allyship series in February, March, April, May, and June. Each idea selected will be provided with a free consultation to explore, test, adapt, and fine-tune their respective community-created solution.

Each person will have a maximum of 5 minutes to present their idea which will include a Gap Analysis, financials, team profiles,  and timeline. The best ideas determined by 1. the public in attendance and 2. a cross-section of government, nonprofit, business, and community sectors will result in various financial awards.

Prizes for each Let’s Talk: Community-Designed Solutions are:

  • 1st Place: $2,500
  • 2nd Place: $1,000
  • 3rd Place (3): $500

Challenge Questions by Category:

1. Health: What is your idea(s) on giving Greater Coatesville families and residents what’s necessary to live a healthy life?

2. Well-Being: What is your idea(s) on giving Greater Coatesville families and residents what’s necessary for the emotional well-being and care they need?

3. Education: What is your idea(s) to give Greater Coatesville students the support they need to graduate?

4. Employment: What is your idea(s) to give Greater Coatesville workers the support they need to earn higher wages and remain living in Greater Coatesville?

5. Housing: What is your idea(s) to give Greater Coatesville families and residents the support they need to become a homeowner in Greater Coatesville?

6. Economic Revitalization: What is your idea(s) on how we can prevent the displacement of current Greater Coatesville residents? How do we increase the number of new local businesses in downtown Coatesville?

Community Report by Category (pdf attachment)

  1. Health
  2. Well-Being
  3. Education
  4. Employment
  5. Housing
  6. Economic Revitalization

» Click here to submit your idea today! 

» Partnership Opportunities 

 

Submission Deadlines: Mar 27, April 28, and May 26

Events Dates (from 4:30 – 6:30 PM):  Feb 16, March 23, April 20, May 18, and June 15

Location: The Brandywine Center (744 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville, PA 19320)

Let’s Talk Presentations

Feb 16, 2023
Mar 23, 2023
Apr 20, 2023

Homeownership Project by Jacquilynn McClurkin

Acupuncture Healing Arts

Brandywine YMCA

Jumpstart Coatesville

The Passport Program by Chester County Futures

Sense That by Mary Smith

Special Guest Dolores Colligan from Chester County Department of Community Development

Amanda Winkey from DVCCC presenting on health and employment

Janis Bady from YMWIC presenting on education

Steve Wilson from Hope Beyond Borders presenting on Education

Sheri Houpt from the Housing Partnership of Chester County

Shakira Davis, Local Business Owner presenting on health and well-being

Lieutenant Colonel Paige Thomas with L.E.A.P with Paisley presenting on Health

Reverend Michael Green from AME Church Parkesburg presenting on health and well-being

Shanna Cornuet from Healthy Family Solutions presenting on Well Being and Education

James Kaufman, Community Member presenting on Health and Wellbeing