Jefferson Forum 2016

2nd Annual Jefferson Forum: Opportunities for a Changing Community

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The 2nd Annual Jefferson Forum: Opportunities for a Changing Community, attracted 250 participants from 135 organizations on May 4, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South. The free daylong conference for community organizations and leaders was designed to build the capacity for increased community health in the South Hills and lower Mon Valley through education, networking and inspiration. Participants rated this event very highly as productive to attend with high-quality workshops, speakers, materials and networking and asked that the Forum be offered again.

 

See below for videos and a photo slide show of this year’s event.

 

The highly rated Forum included:

  • Issue based and skill-building Workshops on: Nonprofit Lessons: Scale and Support, Addressing the Opioid Threat, The Wealth of Health and Mental Health First Aid, Advocacy, Management Challenges, Leadership and Marketing.
  • the release of the Jefferson Community Directory: A Resource Guide for Connections, a partnership of the Jefferson Community Collaborative, Jefferson Hospital and the Jefferson Regional Foundation
  • a panel of local leaders from Jefferson Hospital, churches and community groups moderated by Tracy Soska of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
  • the debut of a video Opportunities for a Changing Community” which highlights community health grants and Collaborative efforts in the Jefferson area.
  • Monique McIntosh speaking on Diversity & Inclusion: Transforming Community Relationships
  • Free individual mini-coaching sessions offered by Pittsburgh area nonprofit consultants including Chris Hays of Blender Advertising, Leslie Bonner of Bonner Consulting, Don Goughler of the Forbes Fund Executive in Residence Program, Dave Coplan of the Human Services Center, Susie Chase of Open Minds, Liz Monk of Pitt’s University Center for Social and Urban Research, Mila Yochum of United Way’s APOST program, and Alisa Spector Collins of Compass Business HR Solutions.
  • the launch of Community Snapshot one-page data sheets for local communities developed by the Pitt University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR)
  • an onsite Big Idea Video Booth in which participants taped their ideas for community improvements and which was shown at the closing session
  • A mini-performance of a new play, Off’Script about overdose deaths by Saltworks Theatre Company

 

Based upon the success and interest generated by last year’s initial Jefferson Forum: Collaborating for a Changing Community, held in June 2015, the Board of the Jefferson Regional Foundation was prompted to make the Forum an annual gathering for community organizations and leaders working on community health in the South Hills and lower Mon Valley area.  The Jefferson Regional Foundation also supports an ongoing effort called the Jefferson Community Collaborative—in which 55 local community organizations gather monthly in three teams (Healthy Residents, Strong Families, Thriving Communities) to explore joint opportunities for community health impact.

 

Opportunities for a Changing Community

 

Big Ideas

 

Forum Photos