wilkinsburg

In August 2015, Coro launched year two of our partnership with Wilkinsburg, a community of 15,000 residents on the eastern border of Pittsburgh. The long-term goal of our engagement is to help build leadership capacity in the community and to provide Coro leaders-in-training with a proving ground to apply their learning.

 

Below are updates on the impact that Coro has helped to create in partnership with the community:

 

Update of the 2010 Wilkinsburg Comprehensive Plan, September 2014 - May 2015

 

Coro Fellow Andrea Elcock was placed with the Wilkinsburg CDC, Hosannah House, and the Wilkinsburg Borough, where she interviewed over 100 people in an effort to update the status of the 2010 Wilkinsburg Comprehensive Plan. Andrea identified what had been accomplished in the past 5 years, what goals were no longer relevant, and what the top 10 priorities for action should be moving forward. Top priorities for future action include addressing disparities among youth and access to quality educational opportunities in the borough. For the full update go to http://wilkinsburgcdc.org/plans-reports/.

 

Establishing a Positive Behavioral Intervention System (PBIS) in the Wilkinsburg Public Schools, August 2015-present. Reporting directly to the Superintendent, Coro Fellow Nicolas Marlton is managing a leadership process to establish PBIS in Wilkinsburg Public Schools. He is leading a diverse group of school leaders, administrators, teachers, coaches,and behavioral specialists to move PBIS forward at the school level. Positive behavioral intervention is a system for addressing behavioral issues that focuses on acknowledging and rewarding acceptable behavior rather than punishing bad behavior. Placements: Wilkinsburg Public Schools, Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

 

Creating a Strategic Plan for Public Art, August 2015-present. Coro Fellow Alex Sandoval is managing a leadership process for establishing a strategic plan for public art that utilizes built and natural assets to make Wilkinsburg more attractive to residents, businesses and visitors. Sandoval is now working to create an outreach and marketing campaign for the borough. Placements: The Wilkinsburg Borough, Chamber of Commerce.

 

Engaging 16 residents of Wilkinsburg in Coro’s NEXT Neighborhood Leaders program. Oct 2015-Present. After 3 months of extensive, grassroots outreach, 16 diverse residents of Wilkinsburg have convened to become “NEXT Leaders” of Wilkinsburg. They are each participating in 96 hrs of training and earn Coro certificates before joining peer cohorts who support collaborative leadership activity in the community of Wilkinsburg. Meet the cohort on the NEXT Leaders pages of our website.