“Idealist Career Day”
A workshop on nonprofit and socially responsible career options
Offered by Action Without Borders/Idealist.org
This presentation will be given during the Week of Action at:
• SUNY Binghamton in Binghampton, New York on February 17, 2003
• The New School in New York City on February 21, 2003.
What is an Idealist Career Day?
With a relatively flexible format, this one-day event provides a group of students with the opportunity to explore nonprofit and socially responsible career options. A typical day includes interactive exercises presented in workshop format, and a few panel discussions led by professionals in the local nonprofit community. Representing the broad range of career options, attendees also receive a wealth of written materials about finding nonprofit work.
What will students get out of an Idealist Career Day?
• An opportunity to reflect on connecting their values with their career paths
• Practical advice on nonprofit job seeking
• A realistic perspective on working in the nonprofit sector
• A fun environment for the day and an empowering message to pursue careers in line with their values
What does a typical workshop include?
The host school can customize the workshop based on the time available and the particular interests and needs of their students, but topics covered may include:
• Welcome, Introductions, Review Agenda
• Opening Exercise – Review Goals for the Day/Why are you here?
• What is a nonprofit? What are nonprofit careers?
• Reality Check: What is it really like to work for a nonprofit?
• Career Paths in the Nonprofit Sector
• Skills/Experiences Needed – The Group Resume Game
• Job Searching – Networking and Informational Interviews
• Show me NO Money - Financial Considerations
• Closing Exercise – Reflecting on your past for your future
How much time is needed for an Idealist Career Day?
An Idealist Career Day will run anywhere from 2-6 hours, depending on the panel discussions offered, and the space available.
What is expected of the host school?
• Finding space to hold the event
• Publicizing the event to students
• Recommending speakers
• Pre-registration of students
• Allocating time and/or resources for food should be considered for longer events
What do we do?
• Work with you to develop a customized program that will be of most relevance and value to your students.
• Assist with contacting your alums and/or individuals in the local nonprofit community to participate in a series of panel discussions.
• Send one or two of our staff to facilitate the program.
• Your office can be more or less involved in all of this planning and outreach.
How much is charged for providing this workshop?
No fee is charged for this workshop, but financial assistance is required for our travel and lodging costs.
What office on campus would help organize this workshop?
• A Career Center, Community Service or Service-Learning Office, Office of Student Affairs, student-led group, and others may organize this event.
• A number of offices on a campus and/or a number of different schools can collaborate on hosting this workshop.
How many students can attend?
About 100 students is the maximum attendance
Is this workshop just for college students?
No. The content and format are geared to people at the early stages of their career development, but would be appropriate for people a few years out of college who might be interested in nonprofit work.
Who has agreed to host an Idealist Career Day?
In the 2002-03 academic year, Idealist Career Days are being planned at:
• Allegheny College
• Dartmouth College
• Manhattanville College
• Middlebury College
• Notre Dame University
• Santa Clara University
• The New School
• University of Idaho
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Williams College
What else are we doing with colleges and universities?
• Idealist.org includes the most comprehensive listing of nonprofit jobs in the US and abroad.
• To support and enhance this information, we organize a series of Nonprofit Career Fairs on college and university campuses across the country – www.idealist.org/fairs.html.
• An Advisory Board of 25 career services professionals from colleges and universities across the country are developing a series of resources about working in the nonprofit sector. These resources will be available for free on the Idealist.org website in Fall 2002.
• We are always open to discussing new ideas and opportunities for collaboration.
Who is Action Without Borders/Idealist.org?
Based in NYC, Action Without Borders is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 to promote the sharing of ideas, information and resources to help build a world where all people can live free, dignified and productive lives. Our Website at www.idealist.org turns this mission into action by creating opportunities for collaboration among individuals and organizations around the world. Over 29,000 organizations in 150 countries are part of this loose network, and the website attracts over 20,000 unique visitors daily.
|
