The document discusses ways to address Johnstown, PA's "brain drain" issue and revitalize the struggling community. It proposes a three-part plan: 1) Create a mentorship program between local university students and young community members; 2) Involve university students in existing community improvement programs; 3) Update the local trade school curriculum based on employer needs to better prepare young people for available jobs. The goal is to strengthen connections between the university and community, provide opportunities for young people, and boost the local economy.

1. Johnstown, PA
“Brain Drain” -- the issue of young people leaving and not
coming back
Community Development Process/How group will implement
process:
What questions need to be answered? Should we split into 2
surveys w/people who need help and people who would provide
help? One for native residents, one for university?
· How do you feel about your community now?
· What types of things would you like to see in your
community?
· Are you the first in your family to go to college?
· Do you feel safe going to college in Johnstown?
What types of information should be collected in order to
effectively implement this community development process?
Cambria county example?
Brainstorming:
· How to help poor kids: low interest rates, pay for books, pay
for meal plans/room and board, vocational schools
· How to convince kids who go to college to come back:
discount on property/rent, tax breaks to start new businesses
· University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown http://www.upj.pitt.edu
· Johnstown was a steel town
http://www.jaha.org/DiscoveryCenter/steel.html
· What could the university do to help the city?
· Degree options:
http://www.upj.pitt.edu/en/academics/academic-divisions/
· Example of UPenn mentoring program, investments in and
around campus; universities can be a very powerful resource if

2. used correctly
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/eap/smp/participatingschools.php
· Example of college/high school mentoring program and its
goals: http://www.redlands.edu/student-life/college-and-high-
school-alliance-mentoring-program.aspx#.ViUf09aJnww
· University want to attract better students and faculty
· Identify what community groups/initiatives are already active
SERVICE & SOCIAL CLUBS - Greater Johnstown - Cambria ...
· Bad crime problem and bad drug problem (needle exchanges?)
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/05/10/PA-law-
prohibits-needle-exchanges-that-can-save-
lives/stories/201505100067
· Must reinvent the economy; highest free lunch meal program
· Super poor school district
· Vocational kids can fix new buildings that can be used for
college students (construction)
· Street art grafitti
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/07/11/when-does-
graffiti-become-art/graffiti-is-a-public-good-even-as-it-
challenges-the-law
Mentoring program with university students so that kids in
vocational school can get help starting a business with students
who are learning about those things for their degree
Proposed Plan
· Mentorship program- college students to high school
students/working young adults
· Vocational School- provide training to reinvigorate blue-collar
jobs (small business focus groups)
http://www.gjctc.org/?pID=13756,
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/hiram_
g__andrews_center/10357
· Organize college students for beautification programs (give
school credit hours in return): Pair with existing community

3. groups
· See if business owners will expand internship opportunities
UPJ Survey
1. On a scale from one to ten, how involved in or connected to
your community do you feel?
2. Why did you choose to attend University of Pittsburgh
Community Survey
1. On a scale from one to ten, how happy are you with living in
Johnstown?
2. What is your salary? *put at end of survey*
Population Decrease Johnstown, PA
1950-63,232 -5.2%
1960- 53,949 -14.7%
1970- 42,476 -21.3%
1980- 35,496 -16.4%
1990- 28,134 -20.7%
2000- 23,906 - 15%
2010- 20,978 -12.2%
"Most people that I went to school with who pursued higher
education like myself, went to college, and once they finished
college sought opportunities elsewhere"
Cost of living is 13.1 below the national average. Housing is
74% cheaper than the national average
City of Johnstown government offers low interest loan programs

4. for businesses.
Johnstown median household income is $10,010 lower than the
median Pennsylvania household income
UPJ students generally are from the area, so they have a natural
interest and connection to Johnstown and will want to make it a
better place to live -neighborhood beautification projects
-create a vibrant, exciting place where young people want to
live. develop a sense of place and improve quality of life, foster
a culture of innovation, market Johnstown to educated people
looking for an affordable place to settle
-if this happens, well-paying jobs will be easier to attract
-similar former steel towns such as Bethlehem have done this
and have seen encouraging results
-"it takes a group effort" ....growing energy among a small
group of like-minded young entrepreneurs in the city
-bring specialized manufacturing jobs, as well as health,
biotech, and tech sector companies
What people feel is going well:
-Businesses and government are starting to come together to
work. Community organizations that help mediate between
small businesses and government are the most effective
-college readiness programs are really effective
-coming together and working together
What people feel is not going well:
-lack of career opportunities for graduates
-lack of unity in decision making--too many development
organizations without a common vision
What people feel Johnstown's greatest assets are:
-the people of Johnstown and their connection to the community
-Universities
Get the University, community leaders, business owners, and

5. young people, all on the same page to create a strong sense of
community
http://issuu.com/cfalleghenies/docs/vision_2025_strategic_visio
n_with_a/1
REINVIGORATE JOHNSTOWN
Creating jobs and culture to give life to a town on the rocks
About Johnstown, PA:
History as a booming steel town in early-mid 1800's, city relied
on this sole industry
By 1990's, abandoned nearly all of its steel production
Lack of economic diversification led to decline of Johnstown
Lack of economic diversification, deindustrialization, free lunch
rate, cambry county johnstown initiatives

6. Population decrease:
1950- 63,232 -5.2%
1960- 53,949 -14.7%
1970- 42,476 -21.3%
1980- 35,496 -16.4%
1990- 28,134 -20.7%
2000- 23,906 - 15%
2010- 20,978 -12.2%
Racial make-up: 80% white, 14.6 % African American, 3.1%
Hispanic/Latino
Johnstown's demographics:
Age distribution:
Under 18: 21.7%
18-24 : 8.4%
25-44 : 24.4%
45-64 : 27.9%
65 + : 18.5%
Johnstown's current economy:
34.2% of the population is below the poverty line
The unemployment average has been estimated to be upwards of
20% at times; there are very few jobs available
In 2003, U.S. Census data showed that Johnstown was the least
likely city in the United States to attract newcomers

7. Cost of living: 13.1% below national average
Housing cost: 74% cheaper than national average
Median household income: $10,010 lower than median
Pennsylvanian average
77% of high school students are eligible for a free lunch due to
family poverty
Survey #1: Residents of the Johnstown Area
20,402 people live there, Mail 3x, 30% feedback = 6120 people
- Residents of Johnstown
3,032 attend, Mail 3x, 30% feedback = 910 people - Students at
University of Pitt at Johnstown
3 focus groups, 5 people in each = Results from 15 Small
Business Owners total
Survey #2: Students at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

8. Survey #2: Students at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
(Continued)
Focus Groups: Local Business Owners in Johnstown
As an employer, what kind of employees are you looking for?
What skills should they have?
Are you satisfied with your current employees?
Do the local vocational schools benefit your business in any
way?
Do the local colleges benefit your business in any way?
If you had the resources, would you develop an internship
program?
If you had a promising pool of employees to choose from,
would you consider expanding your business?
How much do you have to train incoming employees?
What are some areas of the community that you would like to
see grow or improve?
Feedback

9. What people feel is not going well:
Lack of career opportunities for graduates
Lack of unity in decision making; too many development
organizations without a common vision
Business and government collaboration
Community organizations mediating interactions between small
businesses and government
Effective college readiness programs
What people feel Johnstown's potential assets are:
The people of Johnstown and their connection to the community
Universities
Proposed Plan: Step 1
Create relationships between UPJ and young community
members
Establish a mentorship program between the students of UPJ
and young members of the community that need help getting on
their feet
This allows for the students to create a stronger bond with the
Johnstown and gives the less fortunate an opportunity to gain
insight and receive guidance
Students at UPJ would receive class credit for this program to
motivate them to get involved.
course that put students in community jobs, class project , learn
by experience

10. Proposed Plan: Step 2
Create relationships between UPJ and community organizations
Get the college students involved in existing community
beautification programs
This will allow the students to feel a stronger connection to
their community and become more inclined to stay in Johnstown
after they graduate
Create a class that teaches community development and features
real-world projects that get students working in Johnstown
Providing credit for local internships will create an incentive
for students to work within the community
learn by experience
Proposed Plan: Step 3
Update trade school to prepare young people for the work force
Based on feedback from our business focus group, we can
analyze what skills are the most important for someone to have
These will be incorporated into the curriculum at the local trade
school so that the less-advantaged community members can find
work
Establish a job fair at the school so businesses can interact with
young students

11. Works Cited
"City of Johnstown." Johnstown, PA. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct.
2015.
"Greater Johnstown Career & Tech Center: Home." Greater
Johnstown Career & Tech Center: Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 30
Oct. 2015.
"Johnstown Pennsylvania Information Source Online."
Johnstown Pennsylvania Information Source Online. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
"Johnstown, Pennsylvania." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation,
n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
"Johnstown Vision 2025: A Resilience Framework." Carnegie
Melon University, 15 Oct. 205. Web.
http://issuu.com/cfalleghenies/docs/vision_2025_strategic_visio
n_with_a/1. 2 Nov. 2015.
"University of Pittsburgh Johnstown." UPJ. N.p., n.d. Web. 30
Oct. 2015.