A Journey of 5 years...

So recently, one of the non profit organisations I'm involved in, celebrated 5 years in existence at its 5th Annual General Meeting. This happens to be an organisation I've been involved in right from the beginning, so I ve really had the opportunity to watch it start from nothing and gradually grow into the vibrant organisation that it is today. It started with just a group of like-minded friends, each with a different skill, who got together to form a community garden. Today, it has grown into quite a large undertaking, but we are still fully volunteer-run.

Behind the community garden stands a registered society under the Societies Act 1966, and all the compliance requirements that go along with it. Being a lawyer, I was brought on board to help the others with running the secretariat. On a voluntary basis, of course :-)

Suffice to say it has been a challenge, trying to pull this off while also being employed full-time in a high-intensity job. However, it has also been a totally enriching experience which has given me the opportunity to stretch to learn new time management and multi-tasking skills, as well as,  the chance to learn so much more than I knew before about sustainable environmental practies, greening urban spaces, edible gardens and container gardening.  

So reflecting back on 5 years, I thought I would share some of my thoughts with you on being one of the founding members a non-profit organisation. 

1. Always be sure of your "why". When you are crystal-clear about why you are doing something, you get fired up, energised and motivated - and every aspect of the job - including the difficult, behind-the-scenes hard work, or long hours spent planning events, working out logistics, dealing with people, etc, takes on a new meaning.

2. Think creatively. Always think about ways in which you can leverage your skills for greater impact, even if you are under-resourced (as most small non-profit organisations are). Accept that hard work is involved. Sure, it's a challenge. You're already so busy with your day job, and now you find you have additional work to do for your non-profit organisation. Accept that hard work behind the scenes, is part and parcel of doing something good for the community that your organisation serves. The best strategy to balance all your obligation, is to be creative, and invest time in designing systems to maximise efficiency and output.

3. Always learn new ways of doing things. Be open to new ideas, new technogies and new tools and apps out there. Keep track of regulatory developments in the non-profit arena in other parts of the world. Subscribe to free non-profit resources such as newsletters and updates.  

4. Always, always, always, hone your people skills/interpersonal skills. In the non-profit world, people skills are invaluable. When dealing with volunteers, committee members, statutory authorities, suppliers and service providers - remember, you are a leader. Take responsibility to invest in those relationships and make them work, even though it can be quite challenging sometimes :-)

I hope the above thoughts will help inspire and empower you to lead your non-profit organisation.


Comments, questions or requests to cover particular topics, email me at spiral1701@gmail.com.