non-profit

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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.

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.

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.

Idealist.org Review for #NES Community

Idealist.org is great for students who may not have their teaching certification yet, looking for non-profit work or mission-driven experiences. In the #NES Community, you can find relevant education and non-profit work easily through their search engine, and many of their opportunities are entry-level! Not only do they have jobs and internships but they also have relevant volunteer and graduate programs listed. This site is definitely a good catch-all source for those looking for relevant NES experience. Thankfully, the site is also well organized.

Their site is very easy to navigate, especially for students who are used to searching on Handshake. You just type in keywords for the field you are interested in, the area you are looking around, and then select if you are looking for “Jobs”, “Internships”, “Volunteer”, “Organizations” “Mutual Aid Groups” or “Grad Programs. There are also many other filters that can be used to apply to your search, such as “Job Function”, “Issue Areas”, “Education Level” and so much more! You can really curate the search to exactly what you are looking for, which is very helpful in narrowing down the thousands of search results. Once you find an opportunity you are interested in, then you can apply directly on their site, or it will direct you to the company site where you can apply. Depending on your specific field of interest, for those in the NES Community, we suggest using keywords such as “education”, “teaching”, “non-profit”, “social”, “fundraising” and “giving” to help kick-start your search. 

Idealist.org also has many resources listed on the bottom of its website. They have career resources and also grad resources for applying to grad school. They have hundreds of articles aimed at helping you find the perfect opportunity to apply to next!

Overall, Idealist.org is a very useful tool for searching for jobs, internships, and other opportunities. Those in the NES community should definitely check out what Idealist has to offer since they have thousands of opportunities and also many resources for applying and maintaining your opportunity.