Editor's Note: The following story is from wvhub.org and was written by Kathryn Ryan and focuses on efforts of Bridgeport High School Alum Jason Young. We encourage you to read the story about the good work he is doing throughout the region and state and also look at what the Hub is doing as well.

 

BY KATHRYN RYAN

 

How do you build a community? What is the secret sauce of effective community development? We have found that communities are built when people show up – when they collaborate and communicate. When people show up and work toward a common goal, amazing success can happen. That’s what The Hub’s newest community development program, Cultivate WV, is working to make happen in two West Virginia communities: Cowen and Moorefield.

 

But it’s not that simple. Getting people to show up and get involved is challenging. And what’s more challenging is building aim toward a project when you have different people at the table with different opinions, different priorities, different areas of expertise, and, of course, different ideas of what a thriving community looks like. That’s where Jason Young comes in.

 

When you think of a community meeting, you might envision a bunch of people gathered in a church or the local elementary school gym, sitting in chairs and getting worked up over the challenges their community is facing as they deliberate the best course toward a solution. October’s Cultivate WV community meetings in Cowen and Moorefield did find groups of people gathered in these local hubs – and there were certainly discussions of challenges and ideas for solutions – but the chairs saw limited use.

 

Jason Young is the founder of the Vintage Theatre Company based in Clarksburg, WV. The group offers entertainment and education in a variety of formats, from operatic and a cappella performances to improvisational and sketch comedy. Jason partnered with the team at The Hub to travel to Cowen and Moorefield to demonstrate how the core components of improv can support effective community engagement.

 

Click HERE for the rest of the story.