Fairmount’s Favorite Tweets 3/3 – 3/7 Edition

The Twitterverse is alive with stimulating conversation. Sometimes we’ll share some of our favorite tweets. Fairmount’s Favorite Tweets is a quick way to stay informed on interesting and innovative thoughts that can help your organization think smarter and create greater impact.  Continue reading

Get2Know: Jamira Burley – Philadelphia’s Youngest Executive Director of A Public Agency

A new generation of leaders has emerged to produce tangible impact across Philadelphia. This new energy is expanding economic, health, education and cultural opportunity, positioning Philadelphia as a must-visit destination and a place residents are proud to call home. Fairmount met with Jamira Burley, the 25-year-old Executive Director of the Philadelphia Youth Commission (@PhillyYC) in the first installment of Get2Know. This new segment reveals the personal side of young change agents impacting Greater Philadelphia and beyond.  Continue reading

Help Wanted: 1.2 Million Good Paying Jobs Available

Philadelphia’s success in the global economy will be influenced by our ability to compete in STEM-based industries in the global economy. This is not just what we think of has “high tech” jobs since technology and math are in practically everything we do. STEM is in everything from accounting to advanced manufacturing to banking to pharma’s to healthcare. Nationwide, by 2018 there will be 1.2 million STEM jobs available without qualified applicants to fill them. This creates an opportunity for Philadelphia if we can build a pipeline of people who can fill these positions. Currently, minorities, people from low income households and women are a significant part of our population yet are particularly under-represented in these careers. Continue reading

Fairmount’s Favorite Tweets: 1/27 – 1/31 Edition

Who says you can’t teach an experienced dog new tricks? Fairmount Ventures has joined Twitter!

The Twitterverse is alive with stimulating conversation. Weekly we’ll share some of our favorite tweets. We view it as a quick way to stay informed on the facts, news, and quotes that introduced something we think is neat, interesting, or even funny. Continue reading

What LinkedIn’s New Volunteer Marketplace Means For You

You may not be aware yet, but earlier this week LinkedIn opened its Volunteer Marketplace – designed specifically for nonprofits looking for skilled volunteers.

For instance you might serve on a small, relatively unknown nonprofit with aspirations to expand your visibility. Using Volunteer Marketplace, you can post an opening for a Volunteer Director of Marketing, along with a description of the skills and experiences you seek. Chicago Family Directions, a nonprofit who provides long-term literacy tutoring to Chicago Public School K-12 students did just that using the marketplace and had 12 applicants one day after posting its position. Continue reading

When all else fails, look for the facts

At a time when we are making difficult choices about what to fund in society and particularly in schools, it may be time to consider some research-based facts.   Recent research published in the journals Education Next and Educational Researcher reveals that students participating in art education demonstrate higher levels of critical thinking skills, social tolerance and historical empathy when compared to students without contact to the arts. Continue reading