Laura Popeea – Fundatia Comunitara
Executive Director
Laura is passionate about people and personal development. She has had the opportunity to meet and interact with many, many people and to continually develop and grow throughout her 19 year career in corporate, working in sales management, middle management positions. In July 2018, after 4 years of volunteering in the roles of founding member and board member of Brasov Community Foundation, she chose to take on the role of Executive Director thus leveraging her expertise in community facilitation and development. This choice and her involvement to date in the life of my community gives her great meaning and fulfillment as the impact of what she does is A Greater Good than personal. She is particularly drawn to fundraising as it is about bridging the needs and resources that exist in each community whether financial, relational or know-how.
Presentation: Impact of technology at the local community’s level
What is the impact of technology at the local community’s level and how it contributes to its degree of resilience and to its development? How can technology support community’s activation mechanisms and mobilize local actors in order to build bridges between needs and resources, how can it contribute to the evolution of young generations, and how can it be used in the most ethical and beneficial possible way?
Technology is an essential tool for our organization as it supports us in a very efficient way to play our role of community connector and community developer through dedicated web platforms that support our fundraising campaigns within our funding programs. The advantages that we have due to these platforms translate in the trust of the donors as we have 100% transparency in the listing of the donations and the use of the budgets raised and in the speed of reaction as the donations are tracked real time. Also the mobile applications can provide a secure space were fast emotional reaction can translate through some clicks into a donation. So technology empowers us and shortens the way to our potential supporters within our community and not only, as we can activate donors from all around the world.
Another great impact of technology is the way in which the younger generations evolve, not only from the perspective of being technology users but also that of being creators of technology. Due to the fact that Brasov Community Foundation has as strategic direction the education we focused on a dedicated STEAM program named Stiintescu that is now at the fifth edition. Stiintescu means: funding and mentoring educational STEAM projects carried out in an experiential, interactive way and with innovative learning methods and in growth-stimulating contexts, along with mentors who stimulate the creativity and curiosity of the children and young people and teach them how to think and learn, rather than to transfer information to them.
Discussion Panel: “Tech in Community Development”
Moderator: Andrei Dumbrava
Participants: Laura Popeea, Dan Lungu, Radu Lepădatu,
A special track in PeakIT where we present daring, innovative initiatives, centered on technology, to increase community resilience, enabling their further development even in crisis time.
Join us to find how communities collaborates and develop key strategic projects, improving education, well being and supporting development of new skills and competencies, facing Industry 4.0 transition.