Notes

Game Changers - Works As a Volunteer for a Social Change Agency
A Social Change Agency was founded to empower citizens to address issues that affect their lives. The mission of an S CA is to foster community building and economic development by helping people develop healthy behaviors and patterns of good citizenship. An S CA is not associated with traditional social service programs like charities or churches. Rather, the mission of an S CA is to engage people's interest, gain their trust and help them create opportunities to make positive changes in their lives. The activities of an S CA are supported by grant money and donations from individuals and foundations.

What is a social change agency? A social change agency is a nonprofit organization that helps people develop healthy and positive life habits. There are many aspects of a social change agency that include developing client and practitioner relationships, implementing strategies, monitoring and evaluating performance, and sharing experience and information with others. In the nonprofit world, these activities are performed by a trained community organizer or trusted advisor. A community organizer develops strategies to build support, coordinate and provide information to clients.

Why would anyone want to work in an S CA? There are a variety of reasons that someone might choose to work with an S CA, including building nonprofits, public relations, marketing, fundraising, and development of new programs and ideas. If you are interested in working with nonprofits in your community, then you will be part of a dynamic team that shares your vision for the future. You will be engaged in the creative process and have the opportunity to network with other members of your team. You will be a trusted advisor providing strategic thought leadership to nonprofits in need of assistance.

As a trusted advisor to nonprofits in need, you will be responsible for providing the strategic thought leadership required to strengthen their organizational structure, increase their capacity to do good work, develop effective strategies, and expand their scope. A nonprofit organization's budget is limited, but its impact on society is enormous. When people feel like they can't do anything about pressing political, environmental or economic issues, they tend to shut down. But when you provide strategic thought leadership through projects such as the one at the American Institute for Environmental Protection in Washington, DC, your nonprofit organizations will be able to thrive even when funding is difficult to find. The strategic focus, you will provide through strategic planning will lead to meaningful outcomes for all involved.

A social change agency also has a number of programs that they implement to enhance the work of other nonprofit groups within the communities. Some examples include providing training and other technical assistance to local nonprofits on environmental issues. Through the American Institute for Environmental Protection training and certification programs, local nonprofits can demonstrate how they handle environmental issues. You will also provide a technical service through the American Society for the Promotion of Renewable Agriculture (ASRA) that will allow nonprofits to be responsible for delivering services to member rural areas.

There are also career opportunities for professionals in the technology department of a nonprofit. As more of the nonprofit's members rely heavily on computers and technology for communication, you might be involved in the development of specific computer software to further the work of other nonprofits. The information technology department at many nonprofits have the opportunity to collaborate with computer experts from all over the world. You might be involved in the development of a new technology, or you might be interested in improving and maintaining the current technologies already in use. The possibilities for career opportunities in the technology department are endless.

If you are a member of a special interest group, such as a minority group or a women's group, you can also have career opportunities available through a social change agency . Because many nonprofits need professionals who speak their language, you may speak more than one language, so you may be an excellent candidate for multilingual positions, such as translators, digital content editors, and web designers. Again, the possibilities are endless in this department; the more languages your organization speaks, the more global opportunities you will have.

Finally, you could be part of a team that works on a shoestring budget. Many nonprofits struggle just to survive, so you can help by volunteering your services to assist other nonprofits with budgets. A social change agency often has budget busting needs as well, so you can help a nonprofit in need even if you aren't making a lot of money yourself. Your skills as a team player and your unique combination of talents and interests make you some unique and interesting game changers.
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