New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) serves the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia which has long suffered the effects of disinvestment following the departure of industry. Families face recurring crises and traumatic experiences that come with persistent poverty, unemployment, displacement, stress, crime, addiction, and poor physical and environmental health.
The Empowerment Hub Pilot will increase access to the support and resources that families in Kensington need to move out of poverty and build generational wealth. Many of these resources come from partners-legal aid, tax preparation, benefit access-that do not have physical presence in the neighborhood. With the opening of a new dedicated space to co-locate services in the summer of 2022, we will create a one-stop, comprehensive approach to poverty reduction, building on our foundation of housing services and community-based outreach and engagement.
The AmeriCorps VISTA member will have the opportunity to define and support partnerships for using the space and develop an operating model for future sustainability. This will include scheduling, programming, and referral processes; creating an operations plan and shared use protocols; exploring ways to support shared data and impact reporting; and developing joint communications and fundraising opportunities.
Member Duties
As an AmeriCorp VISTA member serving with NKCDC you will build a network of partners and schedule the Empowerment Hub space for its first year of operation. You will coordinate partner hours and services so that the space is activated on a regular schedule. You will develop a set of shared use protocols and train partners and NKCDC staff in sharing the new space safely and responsibly. In support of long-term sustainability efforts, the AmeriCorp VISTA member will also begin conversations with partners and NKCDC about a shared data strategy and performance measurement plan so we can understand the impact of co-locating services as well as develop a brand identity for the Empowerment Hub that supports joint marketing and outreach efforts across organizations.