By Anne Schink
A major study of the next generation of volunteer leaders demonstrates the importance of providing support for those invested in the nonprofit sector and for identifying a career path for the advancement of those with potential to be executive directors in nonprofit organizations.
The Meyer Foundation and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services conducted a study of 6,000 young people employed in the nonprofit sector. The findings should put us all on notice that we are going to have to do more to groom the next generation of volunteer leaders if we are to fill the large number of positions that will become available in the coming years.
At the same time the survey demonstrated several indicators of strength in the sector: one in three respondents aspires to be an executive director some day; of those who aspire to be an executive director 40% feel they are now ready or will be ready in five years to take on the responsibility for being an executive director. This generation of people is highly committed to the work of nonprofits; they are gaining skill and experience that should lead to success in nonprofit organizations. They view the nonprofit sector as a good place to work and a place where they can contribute to change. They believe they are doing meaningful and satisfying work.
Barriers to continuing to work in the nonprofit sector pose real challenges to the sector: long hours, personal sacrifice, low salaries, inadequate contribution to retirement all discourage people from making long term commitments to the work of the nonprofit organizations whose mission they support. Many feel the job description for executive directors is unappealing to the next generation of leaders.
One other challenge of particular concern to Maine is the lack of training opportunities and mentorship from others in the field. They do not see a clear career path they could travel on their road to being an Executive Director.
Does any of this ring true for you? On your New Year’s wish list what do you need? What would it take for you to make a long term career in nonprofit work?
Anne Schink is the Project INVEST Coordinator for the Maine Commission for Community Service and a featured blogger.
For me, the main barrier to continuing a career in the non-profit sector was the amount (or rather lack) of pay. I, like many American’s had plans that involved a big house, land, and… STUFF!
This is probably a barrier for MANY people and possibly the primary and most intimidating one.
As an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer and a college student without parental-financial support – I’ve learned to live on very little. Lately, I’ve been pretty content about it too.
I subscribed to a few useful blogs that have helped me with the material/financial side of my current economic state but they would occasionally throw me something more significant that I wasn’t expecting.
LifeHacker.com (a sort of techy-DIY blog) showed me this free ebook: http://lifehacker.com/5118237/free-ebook-thriving-on-less-available-for-download “Thriving on Less”
A blog devoted to wise money management shot this curve ball: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/08/25/the-psychology-of-happiness-13-steps-to-a-better-life/ “The Psychology of Happiness”
Reading these and many others, I realized that the desire to want more than what I have wasn’t an innate human behavior, but rather a condition nurtured by media bombardment in our every day lives, capitalistic competition and “The American Dream.”
It’s true – working in the non-profit sector doesn’t come with a big house on the hill – but it’s lonely at the top and money has diminishing returns of happiness.
Amor Vincit Omnia.
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