Here’s how a new remote work program in Bellefonte hopes to attract people to rural PA
As part of an effort to showcase what rural areas such as Centre County have to offer, the Pennsylvania Wilds is launching a “remote lifestyle experience” in Bellefonte.
Through the remote work initiative, Bellefonte will host up to five remote workers and their partners and/or families in July. Expenses including accommodations and excursions are covered as a way to put more dollars locally into the region throughout the initiative, according to a press release from the PA Wilds.
“It’s our hope that these individuals truly get out and experience everything our community has to offer during their month in Bellefonte,” said Ellen Matis, board president of Downtown Bellefonte Inc., in a release. “Whether they want to take a paddle down Spring Creek or grab a craft beverage downtown, the funds provided to them in the form of a digital gift card will help them identify and make these opportunities a reality.”
Abbi Peters, chief operations officer at the PA Wilds Center, hopes that by highlighting some of the assets and features in the community, the program will encourage people who may have left years ago to move back home, or motivate others interested in a rural lifestyle with modern amenities to move here. She said programs like this have had “remarkable success” across Appalachia and in other rural communities across the country.
Individuals selected for the program will also give back to that community through volunteering. Applicants will be matched with volunteers based on their skill sets or will be notified of volunteer opportunities during their stay, the release states.
“The volunteer aspect is a key component as it allows selected applicants a more meaningful engagement during their stay, and it also provides a resource to skill sets that our communities might not currently have access to,” Peters said.
Applications are open through April 30 for the Bellefonte Wilds Are Working: Remote Work Lifestyle opportunity. Applications can be submitted at WildsAreWorking.com.
Applicants will be selected after a review of their submission by a committee of community members. During the application process, individuals will share information about their employment status, what makes them a good fit for the program, interests and hobbies, and a brief introduction video for the committee’s review, the release states.
Downtown Bellefonte Inc. is the organization managing the experience in Bellefonte. The project is funded by Ben Franklin Technology Partners through the Appalachian Regional Commission.
John Sider, vice president of business development at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA, said partnering with the PA Wilds “enables this project to leverage the marketing power of the regional PA Wilds brand and its growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.” He said projects like this help to increase the region’s competitiveness for innovation workers and technology entrepreneurs. It is also part of its broader strategy to retain a workforce made “ready” by the region’s colleges and universities, he wrote.
The same funding opportunities will be provided during the September Remote Lifestyle Experience in Kane, the release states. Applications for that program will be available later this summer. Peters said that though Bellefonte and Kane were selected as the pilot communities, they hope to bring the program to other communities across the PA Wilds.
“This is an opportunity for tech and innovation workers that have the flexibility to ‘work from anywhere’ to explore the PA Wilds and find a community that provides a great quality of life,” Peters said.
