#NES – Nonprofit

Tag: #NES – Nonprofit

A Career as an Activist

What Does It Mean to Be an Activist?

Being an activist means working to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activists are passionate about their causes and work to raise awareness, influence public opinion, and push for policy changes. They might focus on issues like climate change, human rights, animal welfare, or social justice, among others.

How Does One Get Started as an Activist?

Getting started as an activist often begins with identifying a cause you care deeply about. Here are some steps to help you get started:

  • Educate Yourself: Learn as much as you can about the issue. Read books, watch documentaries, and follow news related to your cause.
  • Join a Group: Many activists start by joining existing organizations or groups that align with their interests. This can provide support, resources, and a community of like-minded individuals.
  • Volunteer: Offer your time and skills to help with events, campaigns, or other activities.
  • Raise Awareness: Use social media, blogs, or local events to spread the word about your cause.
  • Advocate: Contact your local representatives, participate in peaceful protests, and engage in discussions to advocate for change.

Where Do Activists Work?

Activists can work in a variety of settings, including:

  • Nonprofit Organizations: Many activists work for nonprofits that focus on specific issues.
  • Community Groups: Local community groups often work on grassroots campaigns.
  • Government: Some activists work within government agencies to influence policy from the inside.
  • Schools and Universities: Educational institutions often have clubs and organizations dedicated to activism.
  • Online: The internet has become a powerful tool for activism, allowing people to connect and organize globally.

Pros and Cons of Being an Activist

Like any career, there are both positives and negatives to working as an activist.

Pros:

  • Making a Difference: Activists can create real change and make a positive impact on society.
  • Community: Being part of a movement can provide a powerful sense of community and support.
  • Personal Growth: Activism can help you develop skills like public speaking, organizing, and leadership.

Cons:

  • Emotional Toll: Fighting for a cause can be emotionally draining, especially when progress is slow and there will always be others opposed to your cause.
  • Financial Instability: Many activist roles are unpaid or low-paying, which can lead to financial challenges.
  • Risk of Burnout: The intense nature of activism can lead to burnout if self-care is not prioritized.

Most activists advocate for peaceful methods of protest and change. They believe in using nonviolent tactics like marches, sit-ins, and petitions to make their voices heard. However, there are instances where activism can turn violent, especially if tensions run high or if there is a strong opposition. Violence is never appropriate, nor is it acceptable to try and destroy someone’s life or career by public shaming or “cancelling” them. 

As mentioned above, most activists make little money. Some activists work as volunteers and do not receive any payment. Others may work for nonprofit organizations or as community organizers and earn a modest salary. According to some sources, the average salary for a community organizer in the United States is around $40,000 per year, but this can vary based on location, experience, and the specific organization.  As you rise in the ranks of a larger nonprofit organization, your salary will increase as well. 

Being an activist is a challenging but rewarding career. It requires passion, dedication, and resilience. If you are committed to making a difference, activism can be a powerful way to contribute to the world.

Grad School for Religious Studies

For those considering furthering their education in the field of Religious Work, it is important to know that many professionals in the field have Ph.D’s and Doctorates rather than just a Masters degree. However, there are multiple Master’s degrees available for those with different interests and aspirations. This is important to consider when career planning, and deciding exactly which career path you would like to take.  

The current Master’s programs offered for Religious Work is the Master of Divinity (MDiv), the Master of Religion(MRel), and the Master of Theological Studies (MTS). The MDiv is often pursued by those who wish to become ministers. The MRel is for those who want to specialize in any ONE religious tradition, whereas the MTS is for those who want to specialize in MANY different religious traditions.  

As mentioned before, those in the field of Religious Work often have Doctorates rather than just a Master’s degree. The Doctorates currently being offered is the Doctor of Divinity (DD), the Doctor of Biblical Studies (DBS) and the Doctor of Philosophy in Theology (Ph.D). The DD is for those who wish to lead religious organizations and the Ph.D is for those who wish to be researchers on Theological Issues. However, the DBS is specifically for those who want to specialize in the Christian faith.

Want to know more? Check out these sources below:  

Pursuing Graduate Work in Religious Studies (via) CSUChico.com

What Can I Do With a Religion or Theology Degree? (via) DegreeQuery.com

By Marissa Lake ’22. I am a sophomore Vocal Performance major. I am also the curator for the #ECE and #VPA Career Communities. I love performing as well as music education, and I hope to one day become an established vocalist.

Credible Non-Profit Job Boards

While you will find non-profit jobs on any reliable job board like Handshake or Indeed, there are job search sites that specialize in non-profit positions. A few of them are described and reviewed below.

NationalNonProfits.org

Nationalnonprofits.org is fully free and easy to use. You can search by a specific organization and geographical location in order to find the opportunity that is right for you. This website sadly does not give many internship options, however, they do have a few. Most of the opportunities found on this job board are full-time job positions, so it might be best to use this site for post-graduation. You can apply for each opportunity directly through the website.

Foundationlist.org

Foundationlist.org is great for those looking for specific foundation jobs. Sadly, this website does not feature any internship search tools and is mainly for those finding part-time and full-time non-profit work. Each opportunity has a “How To Apply” section, where it lists the requirements and also whether to apply through the Foundationlist website or if you will be redirected to the company website. 

Check out our previous review of Idealist.org, which is another great tool for those interested in working in the non-profit industry.

Foundationlist also has a list of other nonprofit job boards here. 

If you seek non-profit opportunities in Wisconsin, visit Jobs That Help.

Fighting Displacement: Three resettlement NGO’s that support the most vulnerable populations

You can see – and feel – the despair and fear on the faces of over 4 million Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s advancing army.  Sadly, this is only the latest of many refugee crises our planet has faced in recent years.  From Afghanistan to Sudan, millions have been displaced as they flee war, poverty and oppression. 

Organizations, including the UN, struggle to process the massive waves of people searching for safety and an opportunity to live life with dignity, leading to a greater need for integrative services in countries offering asylum. If you have been exploring the NGO career path, here are three of the best known resettlement agencies:

International Rescue Committee (IRC) 

If you’ve ever spent a considerable amount of time on YouTube, you might have come across a heart-wrenching ad from the IRC. The IRC helps displaced people within countries in crisis. Provisions in crisis areas include shelter, cash assistance, food and water. Programs elevating long-term growth in-country include access to education, minority empowerment (working on policy with local governments), health programs treating preventable diseases and ensuring access to reproductive health. 

In situations like Ukraine where safety is not guaranteed, many find themselves leaving their home-countries entirely. IRC offers resettlement services helping refugees in their transition to the United States, where they receive assistance in a variety of areas including medical, housing, education, legal services, employment and more. 

World Relief

World Relief is a Christian organization founded in 1940 to provide recovery aid after World War II. Since then, World Relief has joined President Kennedy’s “Food for Peace” committee, responded to earthquake disaster areas, and provided aid to thousands of refugees. As of 2015, World Relief has worked in over 100 countries, has partnered with 6,000 churches, and has recruited over 95,000 volunteers. 

Much like the IRC, there are departments supporting refugees including immigration services, youth support, case management, education, and employment.

Refugees International 

Refugees International is an advocacy group founded in 1979 in response to the crises in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Their main functions are to “investigate displacement crises, create policy solutions and advocate for change”. Their Refugee Advocacy Lab dedicates resources to working with US representatives on creating supportive policies for refugees among other efforts.  The four main issues this organization focuses on is climate displacement, Covid-19, access to employment, and minority empowerment in over 40 countries. 

If you are wondering about NGO work and want to see if this work is for you? World Relief, Refugees International and IRC all offer internships available to undergraduates and graduates. Learn more about these organizations by clicking on their websites posted below:

https://www.refugeesinternational.org/

https://www.rescue.org/

https://worldrelief.org/

Tips for Preparing for your Non-Profit Career

Volunteer:

One of the best things you can do to bulk up your resume for a future career in Non-Profit work is volunteering. Volunteering is also a great way to figure out what causes you are passionate about and want to seek when you are applying for your future careers. Here at Lawrence, it is very easy to get involved with the Appleton community through volunteering. Lawrence’s GivePulse page has hundreds of opportunities for students to sign up for to get you started.

Ask your local community:

Also going along the lines of volunteering, asking around your local community to see what their needs are is also beneficial. You can hear about the local non-profits that they know, or even ones that offer remote internships or funded ones. Word of mouth is a great way to find out opportunities and exactly what your local community needs in a non-profit worker.

Search for summer internships:

Another great way to get your foot in the door of non-profit work is through summer internships! Lawrence’s Handshake page has a bunch of non-profit internships listed all throughout the year, and you can also check out websites such as Indeed.com and Internships.com to find others as well. Internships are a great way to get an in-depth experience of what it is like to work in a particular field.

Find causes you are passionate about:

The causes of a non-profit company could range anywhere from arts and music to diversity and inclusion. The possibilities really are endless on what kind of non-profit you see yourself working in, however, how do you choose just one? Through your volunteer work, asking your local community, and pursuing job and internship openings you should get a good idea on where exactly you want to end up. Try to find the cause that you are the most passionate about, and use that cause as a keyword when conducting your latest job or internship search.

Tips for Talking About Your Volunteer and Service Experience

Tip 1: Think about it like any other job

The mindset that most people get tripped up on while thinking about their volunteer experience is “Well, I didn’t get paid for it so it doesn’t matter”. Because of this they end up not talking about the enriching experiences they had while volunteering, which is a really big misconception! To get out of this mindset we recommend thinking and talking about your volunteer experience as any job. For example, if you were talking about a part-time retail job you once worked at you may mention in an interview “My experience in retail allowed me to gain organization and collaboration skills”.You could say almost the exact same things for volunteer experience as well! Let’s say you are a volunteer at Riverview Gardens here in Appleton. You work with others to winterize gardens and take inventory of plants. If you wanted to talk about your volunteer experience while at Riverview Gardens you could say, “My experience at Riverview Gardens allowed me to gain organization and collaboration skills.” Thinking about your volunteer experience like your job experience makes it easier to translate during an interview. 

Tip 2: Relate your volunteer and service experience to your career field

If you happened to volunteer in the particular career field you would like to end up in, you’re in luck! You can use this experience as a core interview response for, most likely, quite a few questions. If you are planning on pursuing a career in theatre arts, it might be helpful to mention your volunteer experience at a non-profit theatre, traveling theatre, etc. For example, employers may ask you the question “What drew you to apply for this position?” In terms of the theatre arts example, you can answer “I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in theatre, however, my experience volunteering at Skylight Music Theatre in Milwaukee really solidified my motives…” Using your passion as a segway into talking about an experience is very moving for the employer and shows how dedicated you would be to the position that you are applying to. 

Tip 3: Describe the success you had 

Even though sometimes we are plagued with dreaded questions like “Tell me about a time you failed” in an interview, employers really do like to hear about your successes as well. If during your volunteer or service experience you had a leadership position, headed a project, or even just got positive reinforcement from colleagues, feel free to mention this during your interview. An example of this is when an employer asks you a question about your collaboration skills, such as “Tell me about a time you worked as a group, how did it turn out?” A possible start to your answer could be, “During my time with Habitat for Humanity I was a group leader for the volunteers…” This answer would show how your volunteer experience put you in a leadership position and how you handled that position.