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Newsletter: August 2020

By August 5, 2020No Comments5 min read

FutureMakers Partner Spotlight: 

Tara Lea

Tara Lea is a FutureMaker who worked as an intern for the Southwest Florida Community Foundation this past summer. She is going into her third year at the University of Florida, where she is majoring in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences and has a minor in Nonprofit Organizational Leadership. Tara is receiving an education in this field because she has always had a passion for helping people and wants to be a positive changemaker in her community and beyond. Her drive for change in her community made her a great fit for the FutureMakers Coalition. She chose to work with the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the FutureMakers Coalition because of her interest in the work they do in their community and their alignment with her studies at school and field of interest. For students like Tara, internships are very valuable and educational experiences. Tara said that her time working with SWFCF and the FutureMakers Coalition has allowed her to recognize her career interests and confirmed her desire to work in the nonprofit sector after she graduates from UF. Most importantly, she said that this opportunity has gotten her very excited for her future! She thinks that employers should work to find ways to have interns now more than ever because it helps inform and prepare the future of the industry or organization with addressing hardships. During the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every organization has had to stray away from their regular routine. Interns at these organizations have seen firsthand how to properly respond to urgent scenarios and handle adjusting to the “new normal”, so they and the organization will be better equipped if a similar situation were to happen in the future.
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Upcoming FutureMakers Events

Regional Action Team Meetings:

  • Data & Reported – August 17, 9 am Register
  • Aspiration & Preparation – August 19, 12 pm Register
  • Persistence & Completion – August 24, 2 pm Register
  • Access & Entry – August 27, 9 am Register

Equity Conversations:

  • Equity & COVID Conversation: Where do we go from here – July 9, 12 pm Register
  • FutureMakers Coalition: A Conversation about Structural Racism & Implicit Bias – August 21, 9 am Register

Courageous Conversations

Engaging in our Equity conversations is a great way to engage with other FutureMakers in your community and learn about the effects of discrimination in our region. In our most recent conversation, we discussed the characteristics that lead to resiliency for those seeking college and career preparation during uncertain times. Watch the full video here.

Data

Southwest Florida Educational and Workforce Outcomes Study

The FutureMakers Coalition is working towards increasing the proportion of working-age adults in Southwest Florida with post-secondary degrees and other high quality credentials to 55% by 2025. The outcomes data in this report shows that Southwest Florida is making progress towards this goal with 41.2% in 2018 compared to 39% in 2013. Educational outcomes suggest that Aspiration and Preparation, Access & Entry, and Persistence and Completion measures are making positive progress. Additionally, Third Grade Reading, High School Graduation Rates, Post-Secondary Fall Enrollment, and Technical Education Fall Enrollment have increased in our region.

This data also shows that racial and ethnic minorities in Southwest Florida achieve worse educational outcomes, and indicate that further efforts are needed to support our priority populations and lower these discrepancies. Finally, data in this report show the industries that make up the majority of employed adults in Southwest Florida and the top growth occupations by major occupational group.

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Looking for something to watch?

A Walk in My Shoes

This docuseries created by the Kansas State College of Education highlights the importance and also the challenges of receiving a higher education. This docuseries was created in order to create awareness about the diversity and opportunities some students have created on campus, and also the challenges they had to face on their journey. Each video depicts a student’s personal journey to K-State and their background. Click the link below to watch A Walk in My Shoes: First Generation College Students.

Watch the Trailer

What We Are Reading

States should exert their power to grant college degrees – especially for these three student groups

Reopening businesses is not the only thing that states need to do in order to boost their economies; helping the millions of people affected by a changed employment market gain the skills and credentials they need should be top of their list. Effective, large-scale reforms are needed to meets students’ needs and address the inequities hindering minority students from achieving success.

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Companies are speaking out against racism, but here’s what it really looks like to lead an anti-racist organization

Companies all over the country are making statements against racism and donating to civil rights movements, however some employers and organizations are going the extra mile to commit themselves to being anti-racist. Responding in this fashion to discrimination can make employees feel more psychologically safe and welcome and increase their trust in your organization.

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