Pittsburgh Nonprofit Summit - Poverty in Southwest PA - A Strategy for Stopping the Trend

Poverty in Southwest PA11:30am – 12:45pm

Facilitator: Natalie Branosky, Center for Economic & Social Inclusion

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Pittsburgh Nonprofit Summit:

Towards a Social Inclusion / Zero Poverty Strategy

Natalie BranoskyCentre for Economic & Social Inclusion

From social exclusion to social inclusion…

“Social exclusion is when individuals or areas suffer from the negative effects of unemployment, low skills, low income, poor quality housing, crime, poor health, family difficulties, limited access to services, living in a remote area, isolation and high costs.”

“Progress toward social inclusion happens when exclusionary indicators are reversed and move simultaneously in the right direction. Inclusion is achieved when those in the margins of society secure a place in the mainstream.”

What is social exclusion?

Processes by which groups of people are systematically marginalized from resources, rights and opportunities that are normally available to the rest of society and that are key for participation in the mainstream of community life.

Key attributes of Social Exclusion • Dynamic and active– it’s a verb!• Multi-dimensional • Relative

More observations…

• Psychologists have found that a common human response to social exclusion is violence, aggression, self-destructive behaviors, etc.

• If social exclusion can trigger violence, aggression, and self destructive behaviors in individuals, what are the implications for entire communities of excluded people?

• Psychologists have also found that social exclusion stimulates the same parts of the brain that physical pain does. So, there is a connection between emotional pain and physical pain. The breaking of social bonds (i.e., exclusion) is both emotionally and physically painful.

The cost of not addressing inequality = having to pay for the results

• More prisons• More violent crime• More police• More unhealthy children and families• Lower life expectancy• More poorly education people, • Less skilled workforce; loss of human capital• Health care costs for premature, low birth weight babies;

depression, obesity • More social services

Implications for policies, large-scale strategies & programs

Challenges us to ask a different set of questions:

• What are the underlying forces (such as structural issues, glitches in systems) that create the conditions of social disadvantage?

As opposed to…

• How can we fix or change the behaviors of disadvantaged people?

Poverty vs. Social Exclusion

• Static condition (…as opposed to dynamic process)

• Uni-dimensional (…financial dimension trumps all)

• Absolute measures (…a static poverty “line” as opposed to a moving with societal medians/averages)

• Not a relational concept (not concerned about social cohesion / connections / relations)

• Personal responsibility (…does not address the role of social, political and economic structures and systems, including public service systems, in creating disadvantage.)

“Poverty” in the United States

FAMILY SIZE POVERTY LINE ($)

1 person 10,380

2 people 14,570

3 people 18,310

4 people 22,050

“Very often a lack of jobs & money is not the cause of poverty, but the symptom. The cause lies deeper -- in our failure to give our fellow citizens a fair chance to develop their own capacities, in a lack of education and training, in a lack of medical care and housing, in a lack of decent communities in which to live and bring up their children.”

President Lyndon JohnsonState of the Union Address, 1964

Deprived areas have layers of exclusion issues – joining up efforts is key

Unauthorised absence2007/8

mortality rate 2005 - 2007

Incidence of fly tipping(Apr 2007-Dec 2008)

2 year avg teenage conceptions 2005/6

child poverty

Who can best answer?The best multi-partner strategies coordinate the public, private and non-

profit sectors:

• Health / mental health services• Chamber of Commerce• Multi-service providers• Neighborhood representatives• Housing / shelters• Food banks• Economic dvlpmt / employment (and work supports)• School systems• Elected officials• Churches• Crime reduction / youth justice• Transportation• Human / family services• Environmental / sustainability / urban planners

How does a local partnership respond?

• Define social inclusion: what is your shared understanding of the term? Define poverty in relative terms: 60% of median?

• Develop an evidence-based, shared understanding of where you are

• Draft a vision statement of where you want to be

• Join together across services to set shared targets

• Develop and implement an action plan for achieving them

• Partner with service providers (commission your services) who have a proven track record for quality

• Meet regularly and continuously monitor your strategy via one agreed data expert/source

• Amend your strategy to keep it “live”

Social Inclusion in Bryan, Texas

www.bryantx.gov

E mployed (proportion of population ag ed 16 years and over)

60.8

58.4

53.8

59.1

59.760.7

61.4

58.5

53.8

62.5

48.0 50.0 52.0 54.0 56.0 58.0 60.0 62.0 64.0

B rya n C ity

C olleg e S ta tion C ity

B ra z os C ounty

T ex a s

United S ta tes

L ates t 2000 C ens us

F amilies with related c hildren under 18 years below poverty level

21.9

18.1

16.1

16.6

13.614.9

18.7

20.0

15.3

27.1

0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0

B rya n C ity

C olle g e S ta tion C ity

B ra z os C ounty

T e x a s

Unite d S ta te s

L ates t 2000 C ens us

Below 60 percent of US household median income (proportion of total households)

40.4

45.2

54.8

30.6

28.630.0

32.1

43.0

47.3

43.6

0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0

Bryan City

College Station City

Brazos County

Texas

United States

Latest 2000 Census

Is hig h s c hool g raduate (inc ludes equivalenc y) (proportion of population ag ed 25 years and

over)

23.3

20.1

12.2

24.8

28.629.6

26.5

24.5

13.6

30.9

0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0

B rya n C ity

C olleg e S ta tion C ity

B ra z os C ounty

T ex a s

United S ta tes

L ates t 2000 C ens us

Has a as s oc iate's deg ree (proportion of population ag ed 25 years and over)

3.8

4.5

5.0

5.2

6.37.4

6.3

4.4

4.8

4.0

0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

B rya n C ity

C olle g e S ta tion C ity

B ra z os C ounty

T e x a s

Unite d S ta te s

L ates t 2000 C ens us

With a c og nitive diffic ulty (proportion of population ag ed 18 to 64 years )

0

0

0

0

04.1

3.9

3.8

1.9

6.5

0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0

B rya n C ity

C olle g e S ta tion C ity

B ra z os C ounty

T e x a s

Unite d S ta te s

L ates t 2000 C ens us

In our City, social inclusion means:

Living in a culture of expectations for ourselves and our children, where the community values the life and well-being of all individuals.

• Income inclusion: employment, benefit packages and a sustaining income

• Service inclusion: easy accessibility and successful navigation of services (financial services, health, information referral, recreation, transportation, education, housing)

• Participation inclusion: civic equity, a voice and response in the community, and integration into community of choice

We will bring about a change in local perceptions and perspectives such that all community members are valued and all residents have access to the resources that are necessary not only to survive but to thrive, grow and improve.

In 2021, Bryan will be an export community built on bottom up economic and social measures.

Bryan’s targets

• relative poverty / income inequality• housing quality• mental health / cognitive disability• health insurance coverage• employment• access to transportation• educational attainment (high school / associate’s)• banking / financial inclusion• improved sense of inclusion (TBD)

Bryan’s targets for 2016(“Wow, it’s for real.”)

• 2,089 fewer households below 60% of median• 500 fewer substandard homes• 755 people needing help with a cognitive difficulty• 13,191 more people with health insurance• 6,761 more people working full-time• 230 more people using public transportation• 2,628 more high school grads• 342 more associate degree completions• 2,500 bank accounts• improved sense of inclusion (TBD)

Social Inclusion for Bryan

• Income inclusion: employment, benefit packages and a sustaining income

• Service inclusion: easy accessibility & successful navigation of services (financial services, health, information referral, recreation, transportation, education, housing)

• Participation inclusion: civic equity, a voice & response in the community, & integration into one’s community of choice

2,089 households above 60% of median by 2016

Income inclusion:

• Living wage ordinance for City of Bryan (in addition to bens)

• City Council wage partnership with the private sector, paid for with a revolving loan fund

• New locations for businesses

Service inclusion:

• Data follows you everywhere you go / every service you visit

• Advocacy Center – Neighborhood Services Center

• Common application enforced by the City

• More services offered through schools

Participation inclusion:

• Use the media, using informal leaders, engaging n’hood assocs and churches

500 fewer substandard homes by 2016

Income inclusion:• Barter / time-share / labor exchange for home improvements• Increased use of NPs / credit unions for financingService inclusion:• City of Bryan support for DASH• BBAHC / BBCOG housing and Habitat to provide training

together• Community house as improvements are made• Community gardens, community tool sheds, n’hood watch

for kidsParticipation inclusion: • apprenticeships and home improvement projects• hire local people to implement DASH• More bin / clean-up days

755 people needing help w/ cognitive difficulty

Income inclusion:• Job coaches / emp assistance across the community

(business case!)• Build on the City’s volunteer base• Small business consortiumService inclusion:• Use housing authorities• Full service in the community, community-based center• Street lights, sidewalks• GED Participation inclusion:• Engage peer providers, leaders of supt groups, family

members

13,191 more people with health insurance by 2016

Income inclusion:

• Cross-business platform

• Community assoc to purchase / pool health insurance

• Smaller payment intervals

• Sell w/out commission

Service inclusion:

• Medical facility in the n’hood + outreach from existing centers

• Through public education of Tex Health insurance

• Civic groups to pool money to contribute to uninsured

Participation inclusion:

• Health fairs where free services are delivered -- engaging ER staff and providers in this process.

A Social Inclusion Plan for

Pittsburgh / Allegheny County,

with a poverty target at the center?

Employed

48.0 50.0 52.0 54.0 56.0 58.0 60.0 62.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates: % of population aged 16 and over

2000 2007-2009

% of families (with related children under 18) whose income in the past 12 months is below the poverty level

- 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates - % of families

2000 2007-2009

Below 60 percent of local household median income

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates - % of households

2000 2007-2009

High school graduate (includes equivalency)

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates - % of Population 25 years and over

2000 2007-2009

Associate's degree

0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates - % of Population 25 years and over

2000 2007-2009

Public transportation (excluding taxicab)

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates - % of Workers 16 years and over

2000 2007-2009

With a cognitive difficulty

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

Pittsburgh city

Allegheny County

Pennsylvania

United States

Rates - % of Population 18 to 64 years

2008 2009

Getting started…

• Do we have a long-term vision: a 10-year plan?

• What is our geography: Pittsburgh? Allegheny County? Southwestern Pennsylvania?

• Who makes up our partnership: Will you agree to work toward common targets & timelines? Who will make decisions on targets & timelines?

• Who will we answer to: a coalition of Mayors?

• How quickly can it be done: 6 sessions over 4 months?

Thank you from the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit

Partnership!

Workshop Evaluation

Text “Poverty” to 57682 with your answers to the following questions:

• Please rate the overall value of this workshopE – Excellent G – Good P – Poor F – Fair

• Did you learn anything that you will apply at your own organization?Y – Yes N - No

• Please text other comments and feedback.

Submit by hitting “send!” You will receive an auto-reply from the GPNP.Sample text: “Poverty E Y This is a serious issue that my organization is

also working on and we’re ready to contribute to the larger effort.”