Learning new skills and ways of looking at the world keeps us engaged and alert. Humans are wired to learn. Remember that old saying, ‘Use it or lose it’? Turns out that applies to neural pathways too. The old-fashioned way of learning as an adult is to pay money to an expert and go off […]

We’re halfway through the year. Yikes! I am not quite sure how it’s been six months since Christmas but here we are. It’s a good time to dust off goals and intentions from the New Year and reflect on the year so far. Or in gardener-speak, do a bit of weeding and pruning, and feed […]

I have been talking to job seekers in the do-good sector, four of them. These fabulous four have applied for, on average, eight jobs in the last six months. These folks are good at what they do, and their CV’s were some of the best I have seen. They heard back from the grand total […]

You’ve started a new job. You were excited to start but the reality is just, well, meh. What do you do? Say you’re going for a coffee, then make a break for it? Call your girlfriend in tears from a bathroom cubicle? Let’s have a look at your options. Give it a few weeks then […]

Being in a governance role on a board or steering committee is a great way to support the charity sector and give back to the community. It is also an ideal way to nurture your leadership skills. Driving a fast-growing charity or NGO engaged in groundbreaking social change work can be exciting. Good governance is […]

Being a volunteer is a fabulous thing. It allows cash-strapped organisations to extend their reach and do more good work. And it gives volunteers a chance to make a difference in their communities and gain valuable experience and brownie points for their CV’s while they’re at it. But volunteering with the express aim of getting […]

Juggling workloads in not-for-profits can often feel overwhelming. We care passionately about the larger vision our work contributes to and it is very easy to overextend yourself. You know…skipping lunch breaks, working overtime, taking work home to lighten the load the next day. We’ve all done it.  Life in non-profit world is busy. Many organisations […]

It was a perplexing phone call. My job application had been successful and they had narrowed applicants down to 12 from 100+ applicants. I was excited about the role. So this was good news… Would I care to join them for a group job interview? I would need to prepare some sort of activity for […]

Talk to enough people in the progressive and NGO sectors and you will find those who work more than they are paid for. There are a few ways this can manifest. Perhaps they don’t claim for the exact hours they work, don’t file for overtime, skip lunch breaks and holidays, or regularly gift their time […]

The precursor to considering a change of career is discontent. Sometimes we suffer years of it before we take action. We humans are complex creatures, but getting to the bottom of your ennui is the foundation to creating a better life. Sometimes people make massive changes to create a different work life only to realise […]

The right job for you is out there. It’s just a matter of finding it. Scouring the job listings not doing it for you? Find a need in an organisation you like and meet it. Your role doesn’t exist? Create it. Really. That’s what I did. It worked… You’re a big fan of the work […]

Stories of people who have chucked in their corporate job to work for a charity often feature in magazines these days. Have you thought of doing the same? Those beaming photos of the people who have done it are a great advertisement for the switch. What’s stopping you? You’d be earning less to take a […]