The Non-Profit Dilemma.

After 5 years in the non-profit sector, starting as a part-time homework help teacher and working my way up to director, I really want to address what I saw as the greatest challenges I faced working in the non-prof realm. I have to say, and forgive me if this comes across as over dramatic, but one of the greatest disappointments of my adult life was how unsatisfying the non-profit experience was.

The most obvious short-coming is of course the pay. Much to my disappointment, idealism and commitment to a cause does not translate into a good salary. Or in some cases, doesn't even mean health insurance, sick days, or personal days. I was offered benefits only after 4 years with the agency (3 years after serving as assistant director) and even then, the policy was so shitty, it was in my best interest to turn it down and continue being covered by my parent's employer (thank goodness diplomat's kids get coverage until the age of 26). And adding insult to injury is the fact that in addition to insufficient compensation is chronically being overworked. I worked 6 days a week, and no less than 50 hours a week, though truthfully, I usually had to come in early and stay late to do my boss'/assistant's work too, because apparently competent staff was not in our budget.

Further frustration came from the irony of knowing we did not want to be bureaucrats, but we ended up in the most bureaucratic places on earth! I certainly did not foresee the amount of red tape and agency created obstacles that I would encounter. Oftentimes, I felt that we were our greatest impediment to success, and we were only an office of 4! I can only imagine how little gets accomplished in larger agencies. The government is so worried about something going wrong that it bogs us down with excessive regulations, limitations and paperwork. If corporations and/or government agencies were regulated as much (or even half as much) as non-profits perhaps we would not find ourselves amidst a recession, economic crisis, senseless war, etc. And really, if the government was fulfilling its obligation to serve the people, would we really need so many NGOs?

Also, everyone sucks. Seriously. I thought finally I would be surrounded by like minded individuals all united in the quest to make the world a better place! Ah, sweet, foolish naivety! Everyone has been so disappointed that there is nothing less or more than unanimous and unilateral apathy, at best. Most folks just end up so let down that they end up hating the agencies that they work for and do what they never though they would do, sell out and go corporate.

I am reminded of a anarchist slogan I came across years ago, "If you beat them at their own game, then you have already lost." And lose we did. Although, let's face it, it still beats a corporate job.