When I first started at One Family Foundation, I knew nothing and had no intention at participating in this sector. I have been volunteering on multiple charitable projects during early period of my life. However, the idea of committing my future in an organization that focuses more on humanity than economic return is still so foreign to me. Besides, the non-profit sector, like any other sector, requires in-depth involvement and research in order to be understood and navigated – something I have never done before.
I got this internship through a posting on our program Facebook group. I didn’t give it a lot of thought in the beginning, I simply just needed something to get me a bit closer to my graduation. I started as a part-time intern and gradually became a full-time member of the family. In the scope of my internship, I have done, and tried, and learned more new things than I have done in my entire life. Today, to celebrate the completion of my internship, I have a few advices to those who wish to get involved in this sector:
- Don’t be afraid because you’re new to it: I was the youngest member in my organization, also the least experience. But I was greeted with so much warm from my colleagues – who have managed many large global projects before. I never once felt like I was behind, they always know how to make me feel useful. Just know that there are always space for you to experience with your skill set and adapt it to the need of the sector. If you can be creative in a marketing or advertising firm, you sure can be creative in an NGO. Creativity is a state of mind, it works everywhere. This applies for other values such as honesty, analytical, precision, etc.
- You’ll get to try a lot of things you never thought you’re eligible to… even try: The first project I worked with is Embrace Europe – a project that aim to close the gap between Dutch Native and immigrants through the teaching of language and cultural integration. It was very strange for me to participate in this project because I am not a Dutch Native but having to draft a lot of contents from this perspective. It pushes to talk more to locals, step in the shoes to the people who are so deeply involved in integration, but perspectives are often skipped through. I learned how to be empathetic and see political and social problems not as how they are, but more at the root of conflict. I was, vicariously, a Dutch Native and an immigrant at the same time. From then, it gives me a stronger foundation when discussion solution for cultural conflicts and ideology clashes.
- Give it a chance: I know a lot of time the non-profit sector still sounds like a strange land to a lot of graduates, simply because we’re more often exposed to career options from the for-profit sector and not the non-profit. However, while working at One Family Foundation, I tapped into the unless potential of NGOs. There are NGOs working in almost any area of interest that you can imagine – from economic, energy, engineering, music, light, even ‘toilet’. So, don’t be afraid to dive a little further into your research, I’m sure you’ll find something that fit you and give you the opportunities to work on what you’re passionate about.
I hope these advices have brought the non-profit world a bit closer to you, and I hope that you’ll find something that support your professional growth as much as what One Family Foundation introduced to me. Best of luck!
Hoang Lam (11252103)
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