Career in NGO
Many international organizations and NGOs offer trainings that are relevant to start a career in an NGO. The easiest way is to take an online course in a relevant subject area such as Human Rights, Health or Social Justice. Trainings and online courses will equip you with the relevant terminology and a basic understanding of how NGOs work and what they do. This will help you during your job applications and interviews. Beyond that, online courses, workshops and trainings can help you explore and discover your own interests. It’s essential for a purpose-driven career that you actually care about the cause. Other options to complete relevant trainings include taking part in events, workshops or summer/winter academies.
- Take part in online courses to improve your skills and knowledge
- Take part in events, workshops and summer/winter academies
How to get Job:
Decide what you want to do
The first step to building a career in an NGO is choosing a career path that fits your skills and passions. Because NGOs focus on such a large range of topics and causes, there are many career paths that can allow you to work in an NGO. For example, if you want to work for an NGO but are also interested in a career in health care, you might become a doctor and serve an NGO like Doctors without Borders, providing medical care to people across the world. NGOs also employ administrators, communications specialists and many other professionals.
Complete an undergraduate degree
Once you’ve decided on a career path, you can earn a degree that can help you meet your goals. Some colleges and universities have programs for nonprofit management or administration, which might be ideal for people who want to become NGO directors. Other majors that NGO employees study include business management, psychology and history. You might combine two subjects in a major and minor program. For example, NGO financial professionals might have degrees in business management or economics, with minors in sociology or global studies.
Get professional experience
After you complete your degree, you can develop your skills and gain experience in an entry-level job in your chosen field. You might work for a nonprofit organization, but you might also work for a private company or government agency. For example, if you plan to become a fundraiser for an NGO, you might start with a sales position at a for-profit company. Some people who want to work in an NGO gain professional experience in the private sector while volunteering for an NGO in their spare time, which can help them build connections in the nonprofit field.
Consider an advanced degree
Depending on the role you want to take in an NGO, you might benefit from getting a graduate degree in a subject related to nonprofit administration. Many graduate schools offer Master’s programs in nonprofit administration, leadership and social entrepreneurship. In these programs, you can learn about project management, organizational structures and laws governing nonprofits. If you want to work for a specialized NGO, like a medical assistance group, you might earn a medical degree or other advanced certificate that relates to the NGO’s focus.
Apply for jobs
Non-governmental organizations often post their job openings on general job boards and on specialized nonprofit and social action job boards. As you search for a job at an NGO, you might research the nonprofit job boards for your preferred cause and check those boards frequently. If you want to work for a specific NGO, you can look at their website for job openings or contact them directly. Sending a resume and cover letter to the organization’s hiring manager can help you develop professional relationships, which might give you an advantage in the hiring process for your ideal job.
Common Implementation Method
In-House Implementation:
A Company creates an internal department or unit to work directly with communities to design and implement projects.
Company Foundation:
A Company establishes and independent foundation or trust as a separate legal entity to carry on” Corporate Social Responsibility” programs. The company generally provided grants and workforce to the foundation or trust.
Third Party Implementation:
A Company engages a third party , such as a local or international NGO , to work with local communities in designing and implementing CSR projects, or it support an existing initiative being implemented by others.
Multi Stakeholder Partnership:
A Company establishes or joins a voluntary or collaborative alliance, network, or partnership. This implies cooperation between two or more actors in a manner that shares, risk responsibilities, resources and competencies and involves a joint commitment to common cause, task and goal.
Hybrid:
A Company utilizes a combination of two or more implementation models to deliver various components of its ” Corporate Social Responsibility” program, Many corporate houses in India are working or implementing their” Corporate Social Responsibility” programs through their own foundations or trusts. Such as Ajim Premji Foundation,
CSR Activities in NGO
Real and long-lasting change can only be ushered in when all of us come together to make it possible. Inclination towards social responsibility and contribution to sustainable development is fast becoming the mark of distinction for leading corporate and top brands. Corporate Social Responsibility for NGOs is the continuous commitment of a corporate body to improve community well being through discretionary business practices and ethical contributions of corporate resources. Mallen Baker writer, speaker and CSR expert defines Corporate Social Responsibility as a strategic act, “a way companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society.” Integrating social, environmental and ethical responsibilities into the governance of businesses ensures their long term success, competitiveness and sustainability. CSR initiatives facilitate corporate to build a dominant brand that reverberates with their key stakeholders customers, employees, government and general public.