I just read this great article on a blog at www.change.org. Its really great and explains just why I’m so passionate about social entrepreneurship.
People all over this country want to make a difference but want to live a good life as well. When I was younger I considered going off to the Peace Corp and “volunteering.”
However, I had financial responsibilities to manage. Not only that, but the rumors that organizations like these are no more than a hide out for the CIA and are used to secretly control other countries really let the wind out of my sails.
My desire was simple. I just wanted to do some good in the world…and not have to live on welfare myself for choosing to do so. In fact it is actually my preference to create great success for myself in the process. I’m sure many of you can relate.
Check out this article and let me know what you thing…
Do Low Nonprofit Salaries Drive Young People to Social Enterprise?
by Nathaniel Whittemore
categories: Dissent, Millennial Generation, Society, Trends
Published May 21, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
Sharon Schneider just wrote a fiery post suggesting that if the nonprofit industry doesn’t get over it’s discomfort with “overhead” and start to pay people better, it’s going to have a harder and harder time competing for talent. It’s worth quoting at length:
For bright kids graduating from college with a mountain of student debt, it’s tough to ask them to choose between $30,000 and a sense of fulfillment and $50,000 with a 401K and good health insurance. The current emphasis on “low overhead” at charitable organizations is leading to a brain drain from the sector that most needs an influx of young workers.
Personally, I find it a bit self-righteous to tell those who want both financial security and the opportunity to make a difference “the nonprofit sector DOES NOT need you.” Really? Because we’ve solved all the world’s problems so effectively and don’t need new ideas and new talent? Because Baby Boomers heading up nonprofits never plan to retire so that new leadership is needed?
You know what? Forget this debate, you’re right. Kids, if you hope for a double bottom-line return on the investment of your own talents and intellect–both social and financial–I’ve got a sector for you. It’s called social enterprise, and they’d love to have all the passion and idealism and ambition and energy you have to offer.
Let the masochistic working poor and their aging institutions whither as talented young people seek to do good and to do well. It may be painful and pointless, but at least they’ll feel good about themselves.
I literally couldn’t agree more. One of the hallmarks of the generation graduating from schools right now is their pragmatism. They’re not seduced by the notion that nonprofits are the only place that they can make a difference and have a career aligned with their values, and far too often, the opportunity costs of toiling in the nonprofit sector just aren’t worth it to them.
This is not a question of entitlement. The argument that people simply should suck it up and deal with the nastier parts of any particular industry is just ringing more and more hollow. The particular crosses that the nonprofit industry bears include low salaries, rigid bureaucracies, and a lack of professional development. But it’s not the only industry where younger professionals are butting up against the status quo.
About a week ago, I linked to a great post by Adrian Young about how the partners of law firms don’t understand Gen Y:
“Generation Y is entitled, lazy, selfish, tech savvy, and incompetent,” is how Scott Greenfield, one of the finest criminal defense attorneys in NY, started off the panel….
…Just at this moment the voice of my generation stepped in, “I spent years as an associate, I hit all my metrics- but I didn’t want to become partner. Its no secret that focusing on making as much money as possible ruined many of these older partners’ personal lives.” said Anthony Zana, he is now Corporate Counsel for Intergraph Corporation- where he left behind the billable hour.
“I’ve seen too many successful partners on their 3rd and 4th marriage- and I did not want that to be me.” Anthony added. “Even the ABA reports that depression, suicide, divorce, and alcoholism rates are higher for attorneys that work those types of hours.”
Adrian goes on to argue that “lifestyle” is the more important currency than money to the Millennials (or Gen Y, or whatever you want to call us). I’d add, in the context of this blog, that it’s about meaning, values, and freedom.
On the lower financial end (and this is where the nonprofit industry needs to shape up) its about freedom from debt and constantly looking behind you to see if there’s any unpaid bills lurking, among other things. On the reverse, career fulfillment has to involve freedom from the constant, unyielding, and suffocating pressure of being “on the clock”
I would argue that this is healthy for all these industries. Frankly (and this will seem ironic coming from me for those who know me off line), America has a pretty messed up relationship with work. Returning to a more holistic sense of fulfillment that involves the sort of financial freedoms mentioned above but includes being able to enact our values, connect and stay close with friends, family and community, and having time to learn and think and care and do is pretty essential, if you ask me, for the sanity and long term safety of our society.
