How Do I Join the NGO Sector? | Breaking Into The Development Sector

NGO: Breaking Into The Development Sector could be easy and challenging at the same time, depending on your approach. I have come across people, who have asked me, 'I like the NGO sector, how do I join the sector?’ Sometimes, it appears to some persons outside the sector like there are special ways of getting involved in the sector. I can confidently tell you that there are no specials ways and if you are passionate about the sector, your passion will find you a place in the development sector. 

There are few ways some have applied to joining the NGO sector and managed to
get the kind of jobs they aspired for. For the sake of this post, I will be sharing 3 main methods that some have applied and have found themselves in the development sector as desired. These 3 ways include; 1. as a Volunteer (skilled or unskilled), 2. as a Professional in certain skill areas and 3. as a starter/newbie (who learnt on the job). I have explained below in short details, these 3 ways for breaking into the NGO sector.

1. Volunteering - Is the act of rendering services to organizations, groups or communities willingly, without expecting any financial gain. So, if you see here, there are 3 key words that will let you know if you are truly volunteering. One of them is that, Volunteering is by choice (done willingly), secondly, it is about rendering services or supporting a particular cause for a wider community and thirdly, the motive is not for a financial gain.

A Volunteer is someone who renders services to organizations, groups or communities willingly, without expecting any financial gain.
People volunteer for different reasons; to gain experiences, to learn new skills, to share their skills, to have the opportunity of networking and meeting new people, to render service to humanity or to have fun. 

Whatever the reasons are, volunteering is always a lifetime rewarding experience. You affect lives, make positive impact in the communities and grow in the process. Through volunteering, individuals and groups contribute to development in different intervention areas like Education, Health, Governance, Livelihoods, to mention a few.
If you would like to work in the development sector, please explore volunteering. It is a rewarding process and could be one of the ladders you need to break into the NGO sector.

I will be sharing with you in my next post, the other ways (as a professional or as a starter/newbie) of breaking into the NGO sector. 

This is your #NGOApprentice corner.