BNHS Nonprofit Change Agent

Status Update

By Shubhalaxmi Vaylure

Laura Gassner Otting, author of “Change Your Career: Transitioning to the Non-profit Sector” lists down 10 myths about non-profit sector in United States. I personally feel, these myths are a reality in our country. Coming from a non-profit sector, I cannot agree more that jobs in non-profit sector are underpaid, unsecure, pension-less, unskilled passionate people are hired for less salaries and demand to work more for less is an unwritten rule. Our managers are more of passionate individuals than good managers, money making by nonprofits is frowned upon, and lastly nonprofits are expected to do charitable work. In spite of these challenges the non-profit professionals of our country continue to do their good in making this planet a better place to live on. They are the foot soldiers who work in silence and their actions speak for themselves, they perform what governments aspire to do and they touch lives which corporations dream to achieve. Nevertheless they still grapple with issues of sustainability and scarcity of funds is a chronic ailment. Knowing that the non-profit sector is doing social good, it is imperative to attract and retain young talent in to this field. Unlike other lucrative careers, career in non-profit sector is all about fulfilling the basic human need-of doing good for others and feeling good. There is a serious need to bring upon the change the way nonprofits operate and the way the society perceives them. To bring along this change, first time in India, a series of free management workshops have been planned across the country. A pioneering project by BNHS supported by Fulbright Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund, aims to develop master trainers among the environmental nonprofits. As a project leader I believe, if we train non-profit employees in managing their careers and organizations in a for-profit manner, the organizations then will be able to generate sufficient revenue for their survival, become techno-savvy, pay good salaries to its employees, retain and attract talent. More importantly inform the society that a non-profit is a charitable organization but it does not indulge in charity. This also challenges the mindset of people who feel nonprofits are not supposed to make profits.

The first series of these innovative workshops are scheduled to begin in Mumbai next week. More than 30 professionals from various non-profit background from Gujarat and Maharashtra have signed for this unique professional development programme. A close to 59% representation is by female professionals more than 60% participants are from the rural background. This will make a challenging experience to the trainers who are Fulbright Alumni from various fields. This unique workshop will be inaugurated by Shri. Sunil Limaye, Chief Conservator of Forests, Sanjay Gandhi National Park at BNHS Conservation Education Centre at Goregaon on 10 September 2012 at 12.00 noon. Being the protector of forests, he will truly value the contribution by nonprofits in nature conservation. With this first workshop taking off, my team and I have taken up a Herculean task of changing the face of nonprofits in India. In time to come these workshops will be held in Imphal, Chennai and Delhi and thereafter the participants will undergo six month virtual mentoring sessions then to culminate into follow up workshops by April 2013. We intend to train 250 professionals from 125 nonprofits and by end of the year we hope to establish a professional network of Indian environmental nonprofits- eNGOs. Only time will tell, how far our aspirations will come true and whether we impacted the non-profit sector of our country.