Transferrable skills – A “for-profit” to “non-profit journey of lessons learned.

After a lifetime working in the “for-profit” sector, I unexpectedly took a left turn into the “non-profit” world on a 6-month contract five years ago.

I thought I knew what to expect, and I could not have been more wrong. 

First, as a volunteer, then as a contracted employee, my learning curve was steep, not only because we were at the height of the pandemic but because I was starting and learning a new job remotely.  Fortunately, my manager was patient and forgiving, and not only was I accepted by the other volunteers and staff, but I was given the opportunity to grow and the freedom to try new ideas, to collaborate, and many of my former life skills were directly transferrable to this new world.  Through my coworkers at more than 50 food organizations and 300+ volunteers, I learned more about the community that I worked and lived in just a few months than what I thought I had learned in more than thirty years in the “for-profit” world; from food insecurity to the effects of generational poverty to the apathy and lack of appreciation of how lacking our social safety net is. 

The past five years have been an incredible experience of short-term contracts, exposure to issues and problems that I, and most of our community, are only superficially aware of, virtually zero job security, working with amazing unsung people who work in anonymity, making a living with surprisingly few resources.  My path has taken me from the United Way to a Mental Health Organization, an unsatisfying return temporarily to the world of retail, and now back to helping people who live with barriers find employment.  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 non-profits struggle with. 

Realities and revelations:

There is never enough money – The community charities and non-profits operate with “shoe-string” budgets, year-to-year budgeting that limits the efficiencies of long-term planning, a perception by ill-informed “gatekeepers” that spending money on people to deliver services is a “bad” use of resources, and multiple layers of government who often are unconnected with front-line needs and can be unaware of the work that is being done.  Ironically, as demand for their services rises, often the source of much of their funding, the goodwill of donors, dries up because the donors are increasingly vulnerable as well.

Most barely notice the work that is being done – Not only are many politicians unaware of the organizations working in their communities, but many people in those communities are equally sheltered from the realities of homelessness, human trafficking, the trauma behind addiction and mental health issues, food insecurity, the lack of transportation, the lack of safe and affordable housing, and a host of other significant issues. Compounding these issues are populist politicians who don’t understand the causes and required solutions, instead relying on slogans and rhetoric that only perpetuate the issues.

Front-line workers work precariously – In a sector largely composed of dedicated older volunteers and few “paid” workers, many work from temporary contract to temporary contract with little or no notice when or if those contracts will be renewed.  Yet, most work tirelessly and sometimes for free to make a difference for their clients and their communities.

Nobody only wears one hat – With seemingly constant increases in demand and fewer and fewer results, non-profits and charity staffers and volunteers are forced to wear many hats.  I have had the opportunity to use my skills in purchasing and procurement, coaching and motivating, customer service and problem-solving, advertising and marketing, project management, report writing, training, and all aspects of human resources.  When you work for any of these organizations, you rarely have spare time. 

Diplomacy rules – In a world where lines of authority are vague at best, and organizations depend on the goodwill 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 toolbox in the beginning.

The immediacy of short-term contracts – I have learned you must make each day count, and it is vital that in whatever you are engaged in, you must “Move the needle” daily; in some ways, it was similar to how I worked in retail; however, the security of working for a “regular” job is a luxury I, and my coworkers, simply do not have.  In my old world, you are only as good as your last sale; however, in most cases, if you do a good job, you can be confident you will get to celebrate work anniversaries as long as you continue to do good work; however, there is no security in my new world.  Additionally, in the world of fixed-time contracts, benefits and pensions are rare, as are annual cost-of-living increases.

Unawareness of issues, causes, and solutions – Many of us, including myself, believe we are well-informed about issues in our communities.  Our collective lack of appreciation of the scope and the size of the issues in our communities is breathtaking.  In the small city in which I live, it is a relatively wealthy community. We have pools and arenas, nice parks, hiking trails, and people come to spend their vacations here.  We also have significant numbers of drug overdose deaths, 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, and 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.

Additionally, 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, it is one where people can’t even see the systematic barriers and discrimination that exist.

We are often unaware of who is actually helping with our 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 healthcare workers, and they deserve all praise and support we can give them, but there is a hidden network of other organizations and volunteers that deserve praise as well, that are seldom if ever, mentioned or noticed.    

Counterintuitive solutions are often the right answer – Right-wing-leaning voters and politicians do not even want to consider that a “Guaranteed Personal Income”, like the pandemic CERB, would likely save our government’s money.  Police departments making large-scale drug arrests actually make the drug problem worse by removing the accessible drug supply and forcing people who are addicted to seek out more dangerous supplies.  We need to appreciate that addiction is often trauma-based and is a health issue, not a criminal one.  Eliminating “safe injection” sites and not considering a government-regulated “safe supply” means people suffering from addictions; suffer even more. 

Governments should embrace “homelessness encampments,” by dealing with the need for transitional housing, creating safe places for vulnerable people to get the “wrap-around” services they need with proper services and dignity, and providing the next steps in housing; rather than making them illegal and bulldozing them.

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. 

Many of us cannot afford to live here – The importance of earning a living wage cannot be overstated.  Many people in our communities who are using food banks, who need affordable housing, who are struggling, are working; however, it is almost impossible to break out of some of society’s issues, when 80% or more of their income goes to simply finding a place to live.  As a former business person, I am embarrassed by how many of my associates in my old world work for minimum wage. 

Charities and Non-profits need multi-year funding – As a business operator, could you imagine not knowing in January if you could afford to keep your workers in April?  Charities and non-profits operate with this uncertainty constantly; how can they attract and keep top people, much less provide the vital services they do, with this insecurity?

Donors, grant organizations, and watchdog groups – Administration fees are not always wasteful.  There is a general fallacy among the media and the general public that somehow, incurring administration costs limits the impact and effectiveness of charitable donations or grants.  This fallacy belies the reality of providing and supporting solutions to the kinds of issues I have mentioned.  I appreciate that 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 deliver solutions to our social problems. 

Question the “Expert Opinions” of pundits – People who define themselves as “experts” and their opinions are totally acceptable; however, opinions based on 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 the most powerful underlying causes, which are poverty and the lack of safe and affordable housing.  I stress that we need to continue to treat the symptoms, like food insecurity; however, we will never solve the problem without addressing poverty and providing gear-to-income housing.   

There are false kingdoms and silos everywhere – Just like the “for-profit” sector, some communities and organizations suffer because of their resistance to change and evolve.  One of my primary objectives is to build more connectivity between organizations; many of them are willing, but some groups are resentful or wary of doing things differently. 

Despite overwhelming obstacles, the people working and volunteering in our communities are constantly creating creative solutions and are truly inspiring.  If more people only knew how dedicated and hard-working all of the volunteers and charities/non-profits were, we might be able to solve more of the root causes of the issues that plague our communities.  If I could wave a magic wand and make politicians, donors, the media, and corporate supporters see the energy and passion; and get them to listen to how the people dedicated to solving our issues, I am positive more of our issues would soon be behind us.

I used to think I would return to the world of “for-profit” organizations; however, despite my occasional work as a consultant, I know the work I am doing now will make much more of a difference than what I could ever do back in that world.  Even my blogs have changed as a result of my experience.  I see the impact the non-profit and charitable sector can make in the world, so instead of choosing to return, it is my goal to help invite more of the people from that world to see what I see, to experience what I have seen, and to work with those people who have dedicated themselves to helping vulnerable people and our communities.  The work isn’t about dollars and cents, but it’s about people. The worlds actually aren’t that different, and each can benefit the other. 

Thank you,

Paul.