Now, more than ever, Australians are looking at how they can contribute to the Australian charity sector, which is a great outcome in such challenging times. We have had conversations during this time with those seeking to find their own purpose – their ‘why’.
They are also keen to understand more about the sector – what does ‘for-purpose’ mean and who are beneficiaries, among other questions.
To support your own Personal Impact Journey, we have developed this tool to guide you to on how best to network or engage with the for-purpose sector.
The Australian for-purpose sector is diverse and larger than some may think, with over 57,000 registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), and some 500,000 others that are not registered for deductible gift recipient (DGR) status. Organisations are diverse and range from small family charities to large international humanitarian agencies and address a wide variety of needs in our society, including health, education and protecting the natural environment.
1. Be proactive in finding opportunities
Reach out to your network and ask them what involvement they have in the sector. You will likely be surprised just how many of your friends, colleagues and acquaintances are involved, in everything form the local sports club where their child plays, to volunteering at a charity shop or community centre, through to being on the board of a for-purpose organisation. This network will often prove invaluable in gaining an insight into the industry, especially once you have developed your personal impact plan – sharing it with your networks will likely bring positive results. Then supplement these conversations by researching on sector websites for news and opportunities to contribute eg ProBono Australia, Vollie, etc.
2. Volunteering
Start with skilled volunteering, as organisations will value your contribution to their organisation if you are able to leverage your skills and experience in ways that help them deliver on their social impact. To start, list your skills, availability, and the ways in which you would like to contribute to your volunteering journey and see where this matches up in those charities where you share a passion for a cause/ social issue. There are countless stories of charities being overwhelmed by well-meaning but not so helpful offers ‘to help’. One that we know of was when a large donor wanted to get their leadership team involved hands-on ‘helping’ the charity, and not wanting to lose out on this ongoing support the charity found a project for them. These were a team of well-intentioned accountants that would paint the house which was a base for the charity – only thing was after this exercise the carpets needed to be replaced, at great expense to the charity. Moral of the story is focus on skilled volunteering to add the most value to the sector. Sites to search include:
- go volunteer – Links you to skilled and unskilled volunteer opportunities across Australia;
- Vollie – Where you will find skilled volunteer opportunities from across the globe that are delivered online only, etc
Here are a couple of articles we have enjoyed in the past that may offer some insight:
3. Think outside the box
Some organisations seek skills and experience for their boards and don’t always require an AICD or other Director qualification or previous board experience, so it is always worth looking outside your ‘ideal’ path to the sector. We would encourage you to consider Non-Executive Director (NED), part-time, contract, and committee opportunities that may arise. Participating in these opportunities are a great way to gain insight into the sector, experience in a charity and understanding how they operate, build your networks and knowledge of the sector and potentially even find a new passion.
