After a lifetime of working in the “for-profit” sector I was presented with the opportunity to join the “non-profit” world on a 6-month contract. I did not know what to expect and not only was I accepted, I have learned more about the community that I worked and lived in, in just a few months than what I thought I had learned in all of my retail years.
As I became aware of issues and problems that I was only superficially aware of; entire segments of my business philosophy have changed. I wanted to share some of the most important lessons and revelations in the hope, that it might make more people aware of the issues, challenges, and opportunities that charities struggle with.
I am also hopeful that other business people might realize how great the need is to contribute more to help the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Surprises, lessons, and revelations:
- PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE – At first, I thought my business skills would not be transferable, as with many things I was wrong.
- Charities operate on barely enough funding, relying on grants, year to year funding, and the goodwill of donors,
- They function in a world that barely notices the work they do,
- Many of their associates are living on short-term contracts with no guarantee that the funding will continue.
As a result, their associates and volunteers wear many hats, and in my very short time with them, I have had the opportunity to use my skills in: purchasing and procurement; coaching and motivating; customer service and problem-solving; advertising and marketing; making proposals and writing reports; and training and human resources skills as I work with almost 50 other charities and volunteer organizations.
2. IMPORTANCE OF DIPLOMACY – In a world where lines of authority are vague at best and organizations depend on the good will and patience of volunteers, many of whom are senior citizens; learning and being able to be diplomatic is a huge advantage … a skill that was somewhat lacking from my own tool box.
3. THE IMMEDIACY OF SHORT-TERM CONTRACTS – I have learned you must make each day count, in some ways it was similar to how I worked in retail; however, the security of working for a large corporation is a luxury something most people working in the non-profit section do not have. In business, many times you are only as good as your last sale; however, in most cases if you do a good job, you can be pretty sure that you will get to celebrate work anniversaries as long as you continue to do good work.
In the charitable sector, there is zero job security, I have seen many good people, dedicated, smart, people who make a huge difference, have their employment ended because the funding ran out. These are special people because they know and understand that and put their heart and soul into their work anyway. Some of the most inspiring people I have ever met are the people I have met on this contract, and the volunteers who work without recognition and awareness, sometimes for far more than 40 hours a week.
4. HOW UNAWARE MOST PEOPLE, THE MEDIA, AND LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ARE OF SOCIAL ISSUES IN GENERAL– Before I started this contract, I thought I was well-informed about these things. It did not take long for me to realize I had no idea of the scope and the size of the social issues in our community.
I live in a small city of about 20,000 people. It is a relatively wealthy community, we have pools and arenas, nice parks, hiking trails, and people come to spend their vacations here.
- We have also had 20 drug overdose deaths this year,
- Homelessness and human trafficking are significant issues,
- In a small town less than 20 minutes from me, more than 50% of the high school students live below the poverty line;
- It is cheaper to have a mortgage than it is to rent a decent apartment, if you can find one;
- It is not unusual for single mom’s to be propositioned for sex from landlords who know that the demand far exceeds the supply of rental housing;
- Few of us have experienced how difficult it is for new Canadians and indigenous communities to gain a foothold in a society that claims to be inclusive and multi-cultural but in reality, can’t even see the systematic barriers and discrimination that exists.
- These are just a few of the many things that are going on in our neighbourhoods.
5. PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF WHO IS HELPING WITH THOSE SOCIAL ISSUES – People dealing with poverty, food insecurity, domestic violence, addiction issues; these associates and volunteers make a huge impact without anyone “mainstream” knowing about what they do. The media talks about the front-line health care workers, and they deserve all praise and support we can give them; but there is a hidden network of organizations and volunteers that deserve praise as well.
6. COUNTERINTUITIVE SOLUTIONS – People do not realize that a “Guaranteed Personal Income”, like the CERB, would likely save government’s money. Police departments making large scale drug arrests actually make the drug problem worse by forcing people who are addicted to seek out more dangerous supplies.
If people looked past their first reactions to an issue and actually looked at the impacts, we could solve many of the social issues we have and likely do it for less money than it is costing now.
7. THE IMPORTANCE OF A LIVING WAGE – Many people in our communities that are using food banks, that need affordable housing, that are struggling; are working; however, it is almost impossible to break out of some of society’s issues though when 80% of their income goes to simply finding a place to live. As a business person, I am embarrassed by how many of my associates worked for minimum wage.
8. THE NEED FOR MULTI-YEAR FUNDING – As a business, could you imagine not knowing in January if you could afford to keep your associates in April? Charities operate under this uncertainty every year.
9. THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLOWING FOR ADMINISTRATION COSTS – There is a general fallacy among the media and the general public that somehow incurring administration costs limits the impact and effectiveness of a charity. This fallacy belies any kind of knowledge of the issues and solutions, there are good administration costs and there are bad administration costs; however, the ignorance of making a blanket statement undermines the effectiveness and abilities of charities to solve our social problems.
10. THE DANGER OF “EXPERT OPINIONS” – Opinions are totally acceptable; however, opinions based on actual facts are much more valuable. Many people believe that donations to food banks will solve the food insecurity issues that plague virtually every community. This belief has fostered an incredible infrastructure to support food banks; however, few people make the connection to one of the most powerful underlying causes which is the lack of affordable housing. We need to continue to treat the symptoms of poverty; however, we need to examine the root problem and work on ways to solve the issues at the source.
11. FALSE KINGDOMS AND HIGH SILOS – Just like the “for-profit” sector, some communities suffer because of the resistance to change and evolve. One of my primary objectives is to build more connectivity between organizations, many of them are willing, but some larger and smaller ones are resentful or wary of doing things differently. Fortunately, these organizations are in the minority.
12. DESPITE ALL OF THE OBSTACLES, HOW INSPIRING AND CREATIVE PEOPLE ARE – If people only knew how dedicated and hard working all of the volunteers and charities are, we might be able to solve more of the root causes. If I could wave a magic wand and make politicians, donors, the media, and corporate supporter see the energy, passion, and get them to listen to how to solve our issues; many of them would be solved now.
I will likely return to the “business world” and in some ways as a business consultant and blogger, I have never completely left; however, this experience has left me fundamentally changed. I see the impact that small, medium, and large businesses can make to help provide assistance to our vulnerable people, many of which may actually work for or with us.
Some things we/you could start doing today:
- Make sure that every associate makes the living wage for your community.
- That you support your local charities with a payroll deduction plan so your associates can support the charities of their choice.
- That you get involved in the social issues that face your community and your associates by donating time and/or services with things like food drives, supporting community gardens, meal programs, financial literacy programs, etc.
- That you look beyond the short-term costs to your business of these or any initiatives and appreciate the long-term benefits for your community and for your own business
- You realize that whether big or small, you can make a big difference in your community.