Happy Halloween! Yesterday we took a look at Mars and talked about Halloween candy, but today we’re going to take a different tack. Since we’re told from an early age that candy will rot our teeth, I figure that Halloween is the perfect time to discuss a dental non-profit. It’s also appropriate because many people would consider the dentist to be way scarier than even the most deranged Halloween costume. After a little searching, I came across Children’s Dental Health Project. They’re a relatively small Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “advances policies that improve children’s access to oral health.” Now, this definitely does not mean that I think that anyone should give out toothbrushes for Halloween, but make sure you brush after eating all that candy.

Dental Hygiene for the Win

Now, when I was growing up, I always thought it was ridiculous that I had two scheduled dental appointments every year to take care of my teeth, but only one annual checkup with the pediatrician for the rest of my body. Although I’m still tempted to that feel that way, I realize that most of us significantly undervalue dental health. The truth is that tooth decay at an early age will have significant negative impact over the course of one’s life. Considering the fact that of American children “one-quarter will have at least one cavity by the time they reach kindergarten and one-half by second grade,” we need to do better with our children’s dental health (and probably our own too). This is why Children’s Dental Health Project is actively working to:

• Prevent childhood tooth decay, because cavities are the result of a disease that is overwhelmingly preventable.
• Promote solutions that are grounded in the best available research and supporting exploration when evidence is lacking
• Engage policymakers and other decision-makers in addressing ongoing inequities in oral health and to implement cost-effective solutions.

It sounds like a great organization, and although I don’t know if they’re hiring now, I think it would be worth reaching out to them to see if they have anything open—especially if you are a fanatic about dental health. Use their Contact page to learn more about how to reach them.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• CDHP.org
• Contact Children’s Dental Health Project
• About Children’s Dental Health Project
• Staff at Children’s Dental Health Project
• Policy and Advocacy at CDHP
• CDHP’s Programs

Did you brush your teeth today?

Some of the most fun that I had during college was playing in a charity dodgeball tournament. My team was doing really well until we ran into a team of future NHL players, pitchers from the baseball team, and some former softball players (they threw underhand, and they threw hard) in the semifinals. That match was pretty ugly, but even when you lose at dodgeball, you have fun. We’ve seen dodgeball gaining more and more popularity, and with that trend we’ve seen more and more non-profits using dodgeball to raise funds. Best Shot Foundation is a Washington, DC based non-profit that is doing just this. They’re an organization that is focused on bringing attention to the fact “that pneumonia kills more young children than any other disease,” and then doing something about it.

Give It Your Best Shot

Even here in America pneumonia can be a major problem for people—especially those whose immune systems are compromised in some way. However, across the world it’s a much bigger problem. According to UNICEF:

Pneumonia kills more children than any other illness—more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. Over 2 million children die from pneumonia each year, accounting for almost 1 in 5 under-five deaths worldwide. Yet, little attention is paid to this disease.

That’s a startling statistic. Best Shot Foundation is focused on fixing this problem by focusing on “the belief that increased public commitment will drive increased health resource allocation.” They’re getting things started by organizing dodgeball tournaments at college campuses across the country. I love the idea, and I think that you should help. Since Best Shot Foundation is a startup non-profit, they don’t appear to have any full-time, permanent jobs right now, but they are hiring 16 Regional Tournament Organizers to take on the challenge of running these tournaments. Since finding a job is so tough now, this is a perfect stopgap position to gain some experience for your résumé and show off your skills and abilities. And it could turn into something permanent if Best Shot Foundation continues to grow. You need to do more than just send a résumé to apply, so check out all of the requirements in the job description before applying.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• Best-Shot.org
• Jobs at Best Shot Foundation
• About Best Shot Foundation
• Learn About Best Shot Foundation

Have you ever played in a dodgeball tournament?

I’ve heard a lot of people complain about the plight of “Generation Y” and the bad rap that “we” get, but I think most of it is bunk. Complaining isn’t going to get “us” anywhere. Working hard and taking action will. There’s one exception though, and that’s with the political process where complaining is the preferred way of taking action. Right now we live in an era where older people have mortgaged our country’s future for their own benefit. Yes, they have literally amassed huge amounts of debt to pay for all of things that they want. We live in a Democracy, and there are more of them than us, so they get what they want. And when the bill arrives, they’ll have left the table—to put it nicely. This is a real generational issue, unlike the generational issues that “Gen-Y experts” are constantly talking about. Young People First is a Washington, DC based non-profit startup that is attacking this issue with fervor. They’re sick of “how much lip service was being paid to young voters, yet how little real inclusion in the political process they were offered,” and so am I. Young People First doesn’t have any jobs posted right now (they do have internships), but I’m so impressed with their ideas that I hope some of you smart readers will find a way to work with them anyway.

You First

I believe in respecting your elders. I think that paying your dues is important. But I’m angry that I’m going to have to foot the bill for a government run Ponzi scheme that ignores long-term consequences. Whether we’re talking about the budget, the environment, our currency, or our education system, we’re on a path that can’t continue indefinitely. Young People First is responding to this problem by measuring it first. They’ve created a Future Preparedness Index. It’s goal is to “empower this generation to prevent the next cycle of hidden crises here in the US, and to encourage a proactive, practical approach to successfully meeting our most critical long-term challenges.” There isn’t a ton of information on the organization beyond an interview with founder Zach Kolodin, a Facebook Fan page, and an Idealist page, but their general premise is enough to get me riled up (sorry for the earlier rants). Like I said earlier, they don’t appear to be hiring at the entry level, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t land a job with them. Reach out to Zach Kolodin at zach@youngpeoplefirst.org and see what you can do for our generation.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• YoungPeopleFirst.org
• Careers at Young People First

What do you think of Young People First?

When it comes down to it, most of the problems in our world have some sort of economic root. Unfortunately, people rarely see economics as the solution. One non-profit organization that is an exception is Washington, DC based Green America (formerly Co-op America). Their “mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.” I like their approach. They’re not trying to force their ideals on people by regulation or intellectual intimidation. Instead, they’re working towards a building a powerful new economy that not only holds to their ideals, but also works efficiently. They may still be imposing their ideas, but they’re doing it purely with economic power.

Will You Be a Part of Green America?

If you take a look at Green America’s successes, you’ll get a taste for the kind of work that they do. They’ve “directed over $100 million in purchases to socially and environmentally responsible businesses” and “played a leadership role in persuading CitiGroup to remove predatory lending products from the market.” As a membership organization they’re continuously growing their ranks and flexing bigger economic muscles, which is really powerful. A lot of people yelling about ideas may seem important, but when people act with their wallet, they can really change things. If you like the sound of what Green America is doing, you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have only one opportunity posted for an Executive Assistant and Fair Trade Coordinator, but it looks pretty interesting. You can apply by sending a “cover letter, resume and pertinent writing sample (2-3 pages) to: Todd Larsen, Corporate Responsibility Program Director at tlarsen@greenamericatoday.org.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• GreenAmericaToday.org
• Jobs at Green America
• About Green America
• Green America’s History
• Staff at Green America
• Green America’s Year-End Report

What have you heard about Green America?

I love our oceans—everything about them. I love swimming in them, eating the food that they provide, fishing in them, watching sunsets over them, and all of the other wonderful things that they offer. However, our oceans are both blessed and cursed by the same thing—they seem infinite. That’s what makes them so great, but it’s also what has led us to abusing them nearly to the point of no return. A little pollution will disappear in the vastness of an ocean. Overfishing doesn’t matter because there are always more fish. Scraping up the bottom isn’t a big deal because we can’t see the bottom. I wish that oceans were that resilient, but they’re not. Oceana is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “seeks to make our oceans as rich, healthy and abundant as they were in our grandparents’ youth.” They recognize the value of their oceans, and they’re doing something to protect them.

Dive in to a Job at Oceana

From what I can tell, most of what Oceana does is based on advocacy and creating awareness. They do this through a number of campaigns including Stop Climate Change, Stop Dirty Fishing, Stop Destructive Trawling, Stop Seafood Contamination, Cut the Bait, Save Seat Turtles, Safeguard Sharks, Dive Into Ocean Conservation, Surf Into Ocean Conservation, Stop Cruise Ship Pollution, Advocating for Ocean Change, and Protect Prey. This approach makes sense because our everyday choices impact the future of the ocean, and until we understand that, we’re not going to take a collective action for positive change. Here’s what Oceana has to say about their campaigns:

To achieve real benefits for the oceans, Oceana conducts focused, strategic campaigns. Each campaign has a specific timeframe and objective that will make a significant difference to the oceans. Each campaign combines scientific, legal, policy and advocacy approaches to reach its goal. Saving the oceans may take decades, but in each of our campaigns we aim to accomplish an important milestone in that effort within two to five years.

If you love the oceans as much as I do, you might want to consider Jobs at Oceana. Right now they have a couple of opportunities that seem suitable for recent grads. These include Grantwriter and E-Activism Fellow. You can apply by sending a cover letter and résumé to resumes@oceana.org with the job title in the subject line.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• Oceana.org
• Jobs at Oceana
• About Oceana
• Leadership at Oceana
• Oceana’s Annual Reports
• Staff at Oceana
• Oceana’s Campaigns

What do you love about the oceans?

We all need someone to call us out when we step over the line. Maybe it’s a parent, sibling, significant other, teacher, friend, or random guy on the street. For corporations it’s Corporate Accountability International, although I’m not sure there’s a lot of love going between the two parties. I don’t know when corporations became such a bad thing, and to be honest I still think that corporations do a lot more good than bad, but a great part of living in such a free society is that there’s always someone out there looking to hold you accountable. Boston based Corporate Accountability International demands “direct corporate accountability to public interests.” That means that when a corporation puts the food that we eat, the water that we drink, or the air that we breathe at risk, Corporate Accountability International will be causing a stir about it.

Are You Accountable?

Corporate Accountability International’s biggest issue is with the political influence that corporations hold. It is hard to believe that some of the entities with the most power to sway our public policy don’t even have the right to vote (although I guess that you could say that about non-profits too). That’s not to say that corporations shouldn’t have rights, but the way that politicians from all parties sway to corporate influence is alarming. Corporate Accountability International brings these issues to light and pushes until positive changes happen. Their main targets these days are corporations are behaving badly in the food, water, and tobacco industries. If this sounds like something that you want to be a part of, then check out Jobs at Corporate Accountability International. There are even a few options that might be suitable for new grads like Communications Coordinator and Regional Campaign Organizer. You can apply by sending a cover letter, résumé, and three to five references to jobs@stopcorporateabuse.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• StopCorporateAbuse.org
• Jobs at Corporate Accountability International
• About Corporate Accountability International
• Corporate Accountability International’s Staff
• History of Corporate Accountability International
• Corporate Accountability International’s Blog
• Corporate Accountability International’s Media Center

What do you think of Corporate Accountability International?

Have you ever realized that you were being marketed to? I don’t mean watching tv and seeing an ad that makes you want to buy something. I mean getting a creepy feeling like somebody is watching you, but instead they’re getting inside your head to sell you on something. The beauty of marketing is that you usually don’t realize it’s happening, but when you do, it’s scary. You wouldn’t normally associate this kind of thing with a non-profit, but when I came across The Harmony Institute, I was both intrigued and freaked out. They’re a New York City based organization that uses “cutting-edge scientific research with film, television and new media experiences to help [their] clients deliver narratives that modify behavior and influence change.” Is it just me, or does that sound a little weird?

The Harmony Institute Will Change You

At first glance The Harmony Institute sounds like some creepy conspiracy theory gone non-profit, but when you think about it, it makes sense. The non-profit world is full of great causes that people don’t really believe in. Using science-based marketing techniques to influence the way people think is the only way to get buy in from the general public on big ideas like environmentalism, ending poverty, and improving education. By using entertainment to deliver well-crafted messages, The Harmony Institute can help other organizations achieve their causes. This is mainly based on using “unique methodology in researching and testing the impact of behavioral science on consumers of mass media storytelling.” If you’re intrigued by this, then you should check out Jobs at The Harmony Institute. They don’t have any full-time openings posted right now, but they say that they’re looking “for motivated, multi-disciplinary individuals who believe that social change can occur through new and engaging venues.” You can apply by sending a cover letter and résumé to info@harmony-institute.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• Harmony-Institute.org
• Jobs at The Harmony Institute
• The Harmony Institute’s Mission
• Harmony Institute News

What do you think about The Harmony Institute?

I love it when I get great recommendations for companies/organizations to feature from readers (if you have one, let me know at willy@onedayonejob.com). That’s how I found out about Gloucester, MA based Action Inc. I was sent a link to this article about how the non-profit agency will be getting “$8.5 million in federal stimulus money over the next three years to improve energy efficiency in low-income households from Gloucester to Haverhill to Lynn.” The cool thing about the project is that it not only focuses on reducing energy consumption, but it also focuses on helping low-income people save money that they’re literally burning away. Action Inc. is all about economic security, so their work goes well beyond energy efficiency. It also includes Advocay, Youth Outreach, In Home Care, Housing Loans, Job Training, Emergency Shelters, and Toy Drives.

Take Action

Action Inc. may sound a bit unfocused; however, that’s not really the case. They do their outreach in a variety of ways, but they aim to help a very specific segment of a very localized population. When it comes to promoting economic security for low-income people in the Gloucester area, they do whatever it takes to promote progress. However, you have to think that there will be an increased focus on the area of energy efficiency with the stimulus funds. That might also mean more job openings at Action Inc. Right now they have a Regional Coordinator position available that appears to be suitable for a new grad. You can find the details on how to apply in the job posting, so give it a good read and see if it sounds like something that you’d want to do.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• ActionInc.org
• Jobs at Action Inc.
• About Action
• Action’s Annual Reports
• Action’s Board of Directors
• Action’s History

What have you heard about Action Inc.?

Three months ago when I featured the American Lung Association’s Jobs, I mentioned a good friend who is battling lung cancer. From what I’ve heard, he continues to be doing well and fighting for his life. Unfortunately, I recently learned that my grandmother is also facing a battle with lung cancer despite the fact that she stopped smoking before I was born. It’s obviously very upsetting for my family, and we’re going to do our best to get her through this. I don’t usually like getting too personal with these posts, but there’s no better way for me to introduce the American Legacy Foundation. They are a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit.” I’ve seen what tobacco can do to people, and it absolutely amazes me that anyone chooses to smoke these days, but many do. It may be their right to do what they want with their bodies but I’m glad that the American Legacy Foundation is working hard to push them towards a smarter, healthier decision.

Where Rejection Is Good

You’re most likely to have seen the American Legacy Foundation’s truth ads; however, I’m sure that you’ve also noticed some of the other things that they do. They’re working to keep smoking out of movies and to help current smokers break their addictions. They’re also supporting a ton of research. It may seem a little pushy. It may be annoying. But it’s important. We as a society need to reject tobacco—for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our friends. If you agree, then you may want to purse a career with the American Legacy Foundation. Right now the jobs that they have posted on their Jobs page and on Idealist (Communications Manager and Collaboration and Outreach Manager) are a bit beyond the entry level, but you may be able to find something that will work for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• AmericanLegacy.org
• Jobs at the American Legacy Foundation
• About the American Legacy Foundation
• Legacy’s Staff
• What Legacy Does
• American Legacy Foundation News

How has smoking affected your life?

I know that most of us were taught in school that slavery ended nearly 150 years ago, but, unfortunately, that’s not really true. Slavery and human trafficking continue to plague our world, even though most of us aren’t really aware of it. Polaris Project is a non-profit organization is not only bringing awareness to the issues surrounding human trafficking and modern-day slavery, but also combatting them. They do this by “conducting direct outreach and victim identification, providing social services and transitional housing to victims, operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) serving as the central national hotline on human trafficking, advocating for stronger state and Federal anti-trafficking legislation, and engaging community members in local and national grassroots efforts.” They’ve been at it since 2002 with offices in Washington, DC; Newark, NJ; Denver, CO; and Tokyo, Japan.

Find Polaris

When you look at some of the accomplishments that Polaris Project posts on its website, you start to understand what it is that they actually do. For instance just last year in the DC area, they “provided 28 emergency responses serving 40 girls and women ages 13-42,” “provided individual mental health therapy for 4 survivors,” and “launched a Job Training Program for survivors” among many other things. It’s still hard to believe that human trafficking is going on so close to home, but it is. That’s why the Polaris Project exists, and that’s why you should consider joining their team. Right now they have two job openings in the Washington, DC area: NHTRC Program Associate/Specialist and NHTRC Resource Call Specialist. There are also two openings in Newark, NJ: Outreach Associate (part-time) and Case Manager. Additionally, they have quite a few openings in their Fellowship Program. You can find the specific application instructions at the end of each job posting.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• PolarisProject.org
• Jobs at Polaris Project
• About Polaris Project
• Polaris Project’s Staff
• Polaris Project’s Blog
• Polaris Project’s National Programs
• Polaris Project’s Local Programs

What have you heard about Polaris Project?

Last year we took a look at jobs with Phantom Fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July, but this year it’s a weekend, and that means non-profit entry level jobs. I decided to play things a little safer, so my first thought was The National Council on Fireworks Safety, but they don’t appear to have any jobs. That led me to the Itasca, IL based National Safety Council, which is also concerned with fireworks safety. Fireworks safety is just one small piece of what the National Safety Council does though, as their mission is to “educate and influence people to prevent accidental injury and death.” And that’s just want we want to do on July 4th.

Bring Safety to Your Job Search

First and foremost, I want you to focus on having a safe holiday weekend, but after you’ve accomplished that, you might as well combine your quest for safety with your job search. The National Safety Council focuses on safety in transportation, at home, and in the workplace, so they’re much broader in scope than other safety organizations. The NSC works through 39 state and regional chapters that “identify safety needs of particular interest to their areas and deliver community-based programs and services, trainings, conferences, workshops and consultations, and serve as a local voice for safety advocacy.” If that sounds like something that you want to be a part of, then you should check out the National Safety Council’s Jobs page. Right now, they don’t have anything available at their Itasca, IL office, but they do have an Instructor Coordinator position that appears to be entry level available in their Syracuse, NY office.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• NSC.org
• Jobs at the National Safety Council
• About the National Safety Council
• National Safety Council News

Are you safety conscious?

As much as I should have a great appreciation for architecture because my father is an architect, but I must admit that I’m still not quite there yet. However, as a guy who occasionally builds websites, I fully appreciate “the practical problems of human interaction in the built environment.” That’s why I think that San Francisco based Public Architecture is a pretty cool non-profit. Their logo is their mission statement, and if the font is too small for you to read (ummm can we say problems of human interaction?), then here’s what they do: they put “the resources of architecture in the service of the public interest.” How do they do that? Through a method, a model, and motivation.

Jobs for the Public

This three-pronged approach allows Public Architecture to do some pretty cool things. They are able to take the economic constraints of good architecture out of the picture by using the funds they raise to support projects that they deem important. Their method also allows them to give direction to projects that would otherwise lack guidance (and funds). Finally, through their work they set an example that motivate other architects to commit to projects for the public good. One way that they do this is the 1% Project which “challenges architecture and design firms nationwide to pledge a minimum of 1% of their time to pro bono service.” Overall it’s a very cool non-profit, and certainly one that an architecturally minded new grad might want to work for. Although budding architects would probably be better off actually working at an architectural firm, this Operations Associate sounds like a pretty cool opportunity for other recent grads. They do want someone with at least a year of prior work experience, but I’m sure a couple internships should do. If you want to apply, “send your resume, a writing sample, and a cover letter that explains your interest and fit for the position by email to info@publicarchitecture.org with ‘Operations Associate Application’ as the subject of your email.” They’d prefer if you send it all as single PDF.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• PublicArchitecture.org
• Jobs at Public Architecture (Idealist)
• About Public Architecture
• Public Architecture’s History
• What Public Architecture Doesn’t Believe
• How Public Architecture Works
• Public Architecture’s People

What do you think about Public Architecture?

There are countless celebrities who support charitable causes. There are many who throw their full support behind a single organization; however, few celebs are as personally invested in their charitable work as Michael J. Fox is. Why is he so invested? Because his life is on the line. He is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, “a degenerative disease of the brain that often impairs motor skills, speech, and other functions.” If you’ve seen Michael J. Fox on tv lately, you’ve seen what Parkinson’s does to the human body. It’s a tragic disease that will hopefully be cured due to the work of the New York City based Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. As an accomplished actor and someone who is living with Parkinson’s, Michael J. Fox is the perfect person to lead the fight against the disease.

Outfox Parkinson’s

The MJFF’s mission is pretty simple; they are “dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease within the decade through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.” The Fox Foundation has already funded $142 million in Parkinson’s research, but they’re clearly not satisfied stopping there. To accomplish that, they need a top notch staff, so it’s no big surprise that they’re hiring. If you head over to the MJFF’s Jobs page you’ll see 5 open positions. 3 of them require significant previous work experience, but the other 2 seem well suited to new college grads—Grant Administrator – Research Programs and Development Assistant. You can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to foxjob@michaeljfox.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• MichaelJFox.org
• Jobs at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
• About the Fox Foundation
• MJFF’s People
• MJFF’s FAQ
• The MJFF Approach
• Annual and Financial Reports from MJFF

What have you heard about the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research?

Yesterday I got some bad news. A good friend and one of the best people in the fly fishing community was diagnosed with lung cancer a few months ago. It’s not a pretty picture, but if anyone can beat it, it’s him. Since he’s been on my mind since yesterday, I thought it would only be appropriate to take a look at the American Lung Association today. They’re a nationwide non-profit organization that aims to “save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.” Whether it’s a lifelong smoker who is facing a life and death situation or a kid who is growing up with asthma (like me), the American Lung Association is there to help – mostly “through research, education and advocacy.”

Breathe Easy with These Jobs

Another reason that I decided to feature the American Lung Association is that a reader e-mailed me to rave about her internship with the organization. That’s always a good sign! The American Lung Association has locations all across the country – there are local chapters and regional offices as well. I’m not sure if you can approach them individually about jobs, but I do know that the American Lung Association’s Jobs page includes jobs in a variety of locations. Right now the entry level pickings are kind of slim. There are positions in Accounting and Software Development/IT, but they’re probably a little too advanced for a new grad. There are also a couple of volunteer positions (one in Customer Service Coordination and one in Administrative Coordination) that you might want to consider. I don’t normally recommend that, but after hearing about a Found Your Career student who volunteered his way into a contract job, I think it might be worth trying. How you apply depends on which position you’re going for, so head over to the American Lung Association’s to get all of the details. And remember, it’s pretty easy to track down contact info for people at the organization, so you may want to go that route to find information about more entry level opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• LungUSA.org
• Jobs at the American Lung Association
• About the American Lung Association
• The American Lung Association’s History
• Annual Reports from the American Lung Association

What do you know about the American Lung Association?

Last night I had some friends over for dinner, and we played a question and answers game. My questions for everyone was “if you got arrested, what would it be for.” Think about that for a second. I’m sure most of you never expect to run into trouble with the law, but not all criminals intend to break the law and not all people who are arrested are guilty. Since you’re a college student/new grad with limited financial resources, how would you afford a defense lawyer? Your parents? (If your parents would pay for it, then maybe you should take advantage of that generosity and have them sign you up for our job search prep course.) Or would you end up needing a public defender? That’s not a good thought – “someone you’ve never seen; someone you didn’t choose; someone you have no reason to trust” is responsible for your freedom. That’s why The Bronx Defenders exists. They “have transformed the role of the public defender by changing the nature of the attorney-client relationship, investing in the communities where our clients live, and striving to create justice for the people [they] serve.” It’s still not pleasant to consider a court case, but having better public defense makes it a little less scary.

The Best Offense is a Good Defense

The Bronx Defenders, like many non-profits, is an organization that you hope that you never have to take advantage of, but if you do, it’s nice to know it’s there. They’ve been around since 1997, and they’re now “poised to grow to over 100 criminal and civil attorneys, social workers, parent advocates, investigators, administrative staff, and community programmers.” They’ve worked with more than 100,000 clients, and that doesn’t even touch on all of the additional community outreach that they’ve done. Despite their focus on public defense, there’s a lot more to the organization than helping out people who are in legal trouble. If you’re excited about what The Bronx Defenders is doing, you’ll be excited to know that they’re hiring. Although the position isn’t posted on their Jobs page, they have an Executive/Development Assistant position posted on Idealist. It seems like a perfect job for a new grad, so apply by sending a resume, cover letter (indicating job title) and 1-2 writing samples to Courtney Libon at courtneyl@bronxdefenders.org. (There appears to be a nearly identical position posted on The Bronx Defenders’ Jobs page as an internship, so we’re not quite sure what the deal is here.)

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• BronxDefenders.org
• Jobs with The Bronx Defenders
• About The Bronx Defenders
• The Bronx Defenders’ Team
• The Bronx Defenders’ History
• The Bronx Defenders in the News

What do you know about The Bronx Defenders?

Sustainability has become a major buzzword over the past few years. Anyone who wants to appear to be a qualified leader has jumped on the bandwagon and started using the word loosely. For the most part we identify “sustainability” with the environment, but it can really apply to anything. My definition is something like “helping to create a situation in which you can keep doing what you’re doing for a long time.” It’s really about a long-run mindset instead of a short-run mindset. For Institute for Sustainable Communities sustainability is a long run thing. They’re a Montpelier, VT based non-profit that has had sustainability on its mind since it was founded in 1991 by Vermont’s then-governor Madeleine M. Kunin.

Is Your Job Going to Be Sustainable?

ISC works in a wide range of areas – Climate & Environment, Community Building, Civil Society, Education for Sustainability, Social Entrepreneurship, Health, Social Justice, Youth, Advocacy & Leadership, and IQCs. That seems to cover most of the areas that non-profits generally address, so how does an organization with an $11 million budget take a sustainable approach to its work? Instead of focusing on the actual work that needs to be done, Institute for Sustainable Communities seems to focus on the communities themselves. They try to “build capacity and infrastructure from the top-down and the bottom-up leaving a legacy of leadership as well as enduring results.” That sounds like a sustainable approach to creating positive change to me. If you like what you hear, then you should check out ISC’s Jobs page. They have a number of open positions, but only one appears to be geared towards new or recent college grads – Program/Office Assistant. The job is located at their Washington, DC office, and you can apply by e-mailing a cover letter and resume to ccarpenter@iscvt.org with “DC Assistant” in the subject line.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• ISCVT.org
• Jobs at Institute for Sustainable Communities
• About Institute for Sustainable Communities
• What ISC Does
• Institute for Sustainable Communities’ History
• ISC’s Financial Reports
• Staff at ISC

Have you ever heard of Institute for Sustainable Communities?

You may be looking for a job, but I’ll wager that you probably haven’t considered how inherently human it is to work. It’s not something that I thought about when I was job searching, and it’s not something that I think about much when I’m helping other people with their job searches; however, we as humans were made to work. Thousands of years ago it was hunting and gathering, but as we’ve realized the power of comparative advantage, we’ve chosen to specialize in the things that we’re best at. Contributing to society is part of what makes us as humans go, and that’s why Job Path exists. They’re a New York City based non-profit organization that “supports people with developmental disabilities in their efforts to make choices about their lives.” They “encourage people to explore what they want out of life” and then “provide the opportunities and support for them to succeed at whatever they want — whether it’s paid or volunteer work, living in their own homes, or participating in community life.” At a theoretical level it’s not all that different from what we’re doing here or at Found Your Career. It’s all about helping people become fulfilled.

What’s Your Job Path?

Job Path was founded on a number of core beliefs:

• everyone has gifts and capabilities and can make a real contribution
• everyone can be part of community life
• everyone deserves respect
• everyone should have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams
• everyone has a voice that should be heard
• everyone has the right to make decisions about his or her own life

They have a variety of programs that help their developmentally disabled clients including Employment Services, Community Supports, Supported Living, Service Coordination, Special Projects, and Life Coaching. They’ve been around since 1978, and they’ve put more than 2,000 people in jobs. That’s quite an accomplishment! If Job Path sounds like an organization that you’d like to get involved with, you’re in luck – their Idealist page shows a number of job openings. Open positions include Training Consultant, Coordinator of Employment Services, Mentor (part-time), and Compliance/Payroll Administrator (part-time). They’re not all explicitly entry level, but they’re certainly geared towards relatively new grads. The application information varies by position, so be sure to check out the individual job descriptions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• JobPathNYC.org
• Jobs at Job Path (Idealist)
• About Job Path
• Job Path’s History
• Programs at Job Path

What have you heard about Job Path?

I’m now on the Board of Advisors for a startup non-profit called National Coaching Fellows because I featured their internships (with very little information to go on) on One Day, One Internship. (They’re not hiring right now, but if they were I’d let you know.) Because I took a flier on NCF and trusted in their idea, I’m now going to play a pretty big part in their early stages of development. I’m not trying to get on another board, but I thought that it would be fun to take a look at another startup non-profit that is just breaking on to the scene. This morning I came across True Childhood, a Washington, DC based “educational and consulting organization that raises awareness of stereotypes affecting children and youth, influences media and the marketplace and empowers parents and educators to help all children – boys and girls – be true to themselves and reach their full potential.” They’re apparently launching in May, although their own website dubs them “the leading national organization helping all children – boys and girls – break through stereotypes.”

True Childhood?

I’m still not sure what True Childhood is all about and what they’re going to be doing, but it sounds pretty intriguing. I came across a job posting on Idealist for an Operations and Communications Associate, and it looks suitable for new grads. The job description is pretty lengthy, and just focuses on tasks. I think that it’d make more sense to shed more light on what the organization is about than what tasks the job will entail, but that’s just my opinion. If you’re intrigued by what they’re up to, you can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to d.baker@truechildhood.org. I wish that I could provide more information, but that’s all that I have.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• TrueChildhood.org
• Jobs at True (Idealist)

Do you want to know more about other startup non-profits?

Sometimes I can be a dunderhead. When I am behind the wheel of a car, I can get irrationally angry at having to share the road with pedestrians and bikers. And when I’m walking or riding a bike, I can get irrationally angry at having to share the road with cars. I can’t be right on both accounts, so the problem is obviously with me (or maybe with the government for not setting up a better transportation system). When it comes down to it, though, it’s pretty obvious that bikers and pedestrians are second-class citizens to drivers. Cars dominate the roads, and the burden of responsibility falls on those who are biking or walking to stay alert and avoid getting hit by a couple thousand bounds of fast-moving metal. The Thunderhead Alliance for Biking and Walking is a Washington, DC based non-profit advocacy organization that stands up for the rights of bikers and walkers by “strengthening and supporting bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations” across the country. They’re a meta-non-profit. organization – an organization for organizations.

No Dunderheads at Thunderhead Alliance

We try to find unusual non-profits to feature here on the weekends at One Day, One Job, and I think that we’ve succeeded today. Thunderhead Alliance for Biking and Walking is unlike any organization that we’ve ever heard about. They are building a coalition of local organizations to “break down the barriers to safe bicycling and walking,” which I find very cool. If you love biking and/or walking but often feel unsafe while participating, then a job at Thunderhead Alliance might be something worth thinking about. They only have one job opening available right now. It’s for a Grassroots and Trainings Coordinator, and it’s posted on Idealist. They are looking for someone who has experience organizing, but maybe you started your own pedestrian or biker advocacy group in college. You can apply by submitting your resume with a letter of interest to Jeffrey Miller, Alliance President / CEO via email to applications@thunderheadalliance.org by February 9th, 2009.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• ThunderheadAlliance.org
• Thunderhead Alliance’s Jobs (Idealist)
• About Thunderhead Alliance
• Thunderhead Alliance’s History
• The Thunderhead Alliance Board
• The Thunderhead Alliance Staff
• Thunderhead Alliance’s FAQ

Do you enjoy biking and walking?

Even if your college or university isn’t giving you the day off from classes, I hope that you remembered that today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It’s an important day to reflect, and it’s becoming even more important as there is a growing movement to make MLK Day a day of national service. They’re calling it “a day on, not a day off,” and I think it would be pretty cool to see employers and schools embrace this movement. It’s the next step in making Dr. King’s dream come true. If one day of service just isn’t enough for you to honor the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., then you might want to consider a job at The King Center in Atlanta, GA. The King Center is located on a privately owned inholding within the authorized boundaries of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, and it is “dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Do You Have a Dream?

Before you start thinking about a job with The King Center, you might want to take some time today to do some Wikipedia-ing. There’s a lot to know about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his National Historic Site, so do your research and then start checking out The King Center’s website. You’re not going to find any job listings, but they do list an HR contact – hr@thekingcenter.org – on their Contact page. If you have a dream or you want to make Dr. King’s dream come true, then you’ll need to step out of your comfort zone and ask the people at The King Center how you fit into their plans. It’s not supposed to be easy.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• TheKingCenter.org
• Contact The King Center (Closest thing to a Jobs page)
• The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site on Wikipedia
• The King Center’s Mission
• Programs and Services at The King Center

Are you participating in the National Day of Service?

Happy New Year’s Eve! Last year we featured Martinelli’s, the manufacturer of sparkling cider, in celebration of the end of 2007. This year we’re going to take a look at some jobs that couldn’t be more intertwined with New Year’s Eve. Times Square Alliance is a non-profit organization that “works to improve and promote Times Square – cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life for over a century.” Times Square for New Year’s Eve isn’t on my list of things to do, but for many people it’s a big deal. I’m sure that there will be millions of people there tonight, so why not use tonight’s celebration to generate ideas for your job search in the New Year. Oh yeah, and if your New Year’s resolution includes landing a new job, you absolutely need to check out our job search training course.

A New Job in the New Year

What does the Times Square Alliance do? They take care of the Times Square area year round. They “provide core neighborhood services with Public Safety Officers and Sanitation Associates; promote local businesses; encourage economic development and public improvements; co-coordinate numerous major events in Times Square (including the annual New Year’s Eve and Broadway on Broadway celebrations); manage the Times Square Information Center; and advocate on behalf of their constituents with respect to a host of public policy, planning and quality-of-life issues.” That’s a big responsibility, which is why they’re hoping to add new team members in the New Year. Current entry level job openings include Communications Associate and Public Safety Officers. There are a couple of other jobs posted as well, but they appear to require significant prior work experience. To apply for a job with Times Square Alliance, send a cover letter and resume to hr@timessquarenyc.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• TimesSquareNYC.org
• Jobs at Times Square Alliance
• About Times Square Alliance
• Times Square Alliance’s Staff
• Times Square Alliance’s Programs

What’s your New Year’s Resolution?

I’m back home for the holidays, and I hope most of you now are too. It’s wonderful to always have a safe place to go back to, but not everyone is so lucky. Victims of crime and abuse often don’t have anywhere to go. They’re often left with the choice of living in terror in a place that is familiar yet unsafe, or facing total uncertainty. Safe Horizon is a non-profit organization whose mission “is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families, and communities.” They run 80 programs which “are located throughout the five boroughs of New York City in court houses, police precincts, schools, shelters, and community offices.” They may not be able to provide a safe place to go for all 350,000 victims whom they work with each year, but they find a way to support these people until they can find their way to a safe horizon.

What’s on Your Horizon?

From addressing violence to providing support to victims of 9/11 to aiding victims of human trafficking, Safe Horizon is always there for the people of New York. They have put together an amazing array of programs that make the lives of victims better. If you’ve always been the type to lend a helping hand and you’re comfortable around people who have been victimized by crime or abuse, then Safe Horizon might be the perfect place for you to start your career. They have a lot of job openings, and we’ve identified quite a few that appear to be geared towards entry level candidates. These include Youth Advocate, Client Advocate (Staten Island), Client Advocate (Brooklyn), Program Assistant, Evaluation Specialist, Case Manager – Queens Family Court, Residential Specialist, and quite a few others. Take a look at the whole list of job openings to get a sense for how you might be able to start your career providing a safe horizon for victims of abuse and crime. To apply for a job at Safe Horizon, send your cover letter and resume as a WORD attachment to dvcareers@safehorizon.org. Make sure to note the position title and location on subject line.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• SafeHorizon.org
• Jobs at Safe Horizon
• About Safe Horizon
• Safe Horizon’s Leadership
• What Safe Horizons Does
• Safe Horizon News

Are you home for the holidays?

For me the wilderness is central to life itself – I can’t be happy without time spent outdoors. That doesn’t mean that I’m not enjoying life in downtown Chicago, but I plan on spending lots of time in the woods and rivers of Wisconsin and Michigan once Spring starts to show its face. My philosophy is shared by the people at The Wilderness Society. Their About page says that “It is our calling and our passion to protect America’s wilderness, not as a relic of our nation’s past, but as a thriving ecological community that is central to life itself.” I couldn’t agree more. They’re a non-profit organization that provides “scientific, economic, legal and policy guidance to land managers, communities, local conservation groups and state and federal decision-makers” to “ensure the best management of our lands – national forests, parks and refuges, as well as public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.” I’ve seen one of my favorite places in the world (a Northern Michigan tract of wilderness and quality fishing areas) put at risk by poor land management policies that would have allowed natural gas drilling in an extremely sensitive area, so I know how firsthand how vital The Wilderness Society’s work is.

Work for the Wilderness

If you feel the same way about the wilderness as I do, then an entry level job with The Wilderness Society might be something worth considering. Their website does a great job of telling their story, so you should be able to get a much clearer picture o who they are and what they about by spending a little time browsing it. They even have a cool section where you can tell them what you’ve been doing to help. I’m not sure what they do with those stories, but it’s nice to see that they’re putting user-generated content to work for them. Their Jobs page lists a couple of opportunities that look like they have potential for new college grads. The most likely jobs are Office Administrator (San Francisco, CA) and Development Operations Coordinator (Washington, DC). To apply for these jobs, visit the specific job descriptions and use the e-mail at the bottom of the posting to send your cover letter and resume.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• Wilderness.org
• Jobs at The Wilderness Society
• About The Wilderness Society
• The Wilderness Society’s Blog
• The Wilderness Society’s Media Resources
• What The Wilderness Society Does
• The Wilderness Society’s People
• The Wilderness Society’s Annual Reports

Do you enjoy the wilderness as much as I do?

Do you look at the labels on all of the food that you buy? Not only the nutritional facts but also the ingredients? If you answered yes, then you’re probably a health conscious consumer, or maybe you have a specific food allergy. Well what about the stuff that’s in your food that isn’t on the ingredients label? No mater what kind of drugs they pump into the cow that your hamburger is coming from, it’s always just going to be labeled beef. How about that bottle of water that you’re drinking from right now? It’s just water, or is it? A salmon from Lake Ontario is still just salmon, even if it’s full of PCBs (at least you can’t buy those in the grocery store). There’s a lot of stuff in our food and water that we don’t know about, which is why Washington, DC based Food & Water Watch exists. They’re “a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food.”

Are You on the Watch?

The government is supposed to ensure the safety of our food and water. That’s a responsibility that we’ve entrusted to them. It gives us a little less freedom in what kind of food choices we can make, but it’s worth it to know that there are certain minimum standards for what we’re going to put in our body. Food & Water Watch asserts that the government isn’t doing the job that they should be. That’s why they take it upon themselves to “challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.” If you’re passionate about food quality and safety, a job with Food & Water Watch might be something that you want to consider.

There are a number of job opportunities with Food & Water Watch currently available. The most appropriate for new college grads are Policy Analyst – Fish Campaign, Organizer – Food Campaign, and West Coast Organizer – Fish Campaign. The Policy Analyst position is based out of Washington, DC, while the West Coast Organizer position is based out of San Francisco, CA. They don’t say where the Food Campaign Organizer job is located. You can apply for these jobs by sending a cover letter, resume, three references, and a brief writing sample to jobs@fwwatch.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• FoodAndWaterWatch.org
• Jobs at Food & Water Watch
• About Food & Water Watch
• Food & Water Watch’s Blog
• Food & Water Watch’s Team
• Food & Water Watch News

Do you watch what you eat?

One of the cooler fly fishing moments that I’ve had was sea turtle related. I was in Costa Rica fishing for sailfish when we trolled past a couple of sea turtles. Immediately a dorado (aka mahi mahi aka dolphin fish) came out from below the sea turtles (they love hanging out under debris… or turtles) and started chasing the hookless plugs that we had let out behind the boat. We teased the fish in to the boat, I cast my fly to it, hooked it, and caught it after an amazing battle. It was a perfect example of how ecosystems work with the fish using turtles as cover to ambush prey. Unfortunately, our experience with sea turtles from the previous year’s trip wasn’t so heartwarming, as another boat from our party came across a turtle that had been tangled in commercial fishing long lines (nothing like what sport fishermen use). Luckily they were able to get the turtle in the boat and cut it free from the tangle of lines, but it was a reminder of how many risks sea turtles are facing out in the wild (see below for a picture of the turtle as it was being rescued). The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a non-profit organization that is trying to protect sea turtles from these threats of pollution, coastal development, commercial fishing long lines, and shrimping nets.

Who Doesn’t Love Sea Turtles?

As I’ve seen firsthand, sea turtles are both important parts of the ocean ecosystem and at a high risk for extinction. They’re amazing animals to watch in their natural habitat, and they deserve to be protected. You can help protect them by taking a job with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project. Right now they’re looking for a Human Health and Oceans Campaigner “to help save the oceans from industrial fishing and save ourselves from mercury poisoning from contaminated fish: tuna, swordfish, shark.” They’re looking for someone with a background in campaigning, journalism, community or political organizing, lobbying or legal advocacy, so you probably should have worked on some projects on these areas (and really love sea turtles) if you’re going to apply. This is a one year position with a salary in the low to mid 40s and the opportunity for renewal. The job is based about an hour northwest of San Francisco near the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, and you can apply by sending your cover letter and resume to tshore@TIRN.net. There’s also the potential for a part-time Web Activist position if you’re willing to start as a volunteer. The application details are the same as for the previous position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• SeaTurtles.org
• Jobs at Sea Turtle Restoration Project
• About Sea Turtle Restoration Project
• The Sea Turtle Blog
• Sea Turtle Restoration Project’s Campaigns
• Sea Turtle Restoration Project in the News

Have you had any firsthand experiences with sea turtles? Tell us about them.

Do you have trouble making up your mind when it comes to important moral, ethical, and political issues? Do you think that it’s hard to find an unbiased source of information to base your opinions on? Since it’s the time of year when making decisions on the issues is essential to picking the right candidate to vote for, you should check out ProCon.org. It’s a non-profit, public charity that has the goal of “promoting education, critical thinking, and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan primarily pro-con format.” Their response to any issue is quite simple – look at the pros and the cons and see which side comes out ahead.

The Pros and Cons of Working at ProCon.org

ProCon.org isn’t about which side you pick on the issues, it’s about encouraging you to think in a critical way by offering a wide variety of informational resources in an easy to digest format. Just look at ProCon’s pages on the 2008 election and the health of drinking milk. We think that they’ve done a pretty good job of presenting both sides of the issues, and although it’s nearly impossible to come off completely unbiased (which facts do you include? which issues do you cover? etc.), ProCon.org does an impressive job of staying balanced. ProCon is more about the thinking process than the actual facts and conclusions. They hope that by engaging yourself with their content, you will become more vested in the decisions that you make and, in turn, will be a better citizen.

ProCon.org’s About page is extremely comprehensive (although not in a pro vs. con format) and should answer almost any question that you have about the organization (except what kind of jobs are they offering?). Check that out to get a background on ProCon, and then take a look at their job listing on Idealist.org for a Researcher. ProCon’s researchers are the people who put together the pages on their site topics. This is a full-time job in Santa Monica, CA (their office is a few blocks from the beach) with the possibility of a pretty decent salary. To apply for this job, you need to send a cover letter, resume, and a one page critique of a ProCon site topic to jobs@procon.org. You may also send a writing sample if you’d like, but it needs to be under 3 pages long.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• ProCon.org
• Jobs at ProCon.org on Idealist.org
• About ProCon.org
• ProCon.org’s Traffic
• ProCon.org Quick Facts

If you’ve read this far, leave a comment with a pro or a con about working for ProCon.org. We want to try their method out and see how it works for job search. Make sure to identify whether your comment is pro or con.

Talking about the non-profit organization that we’re featuring today provides an interesting dilemma for me. I was going to introduce them by asking you to imagine yourself in the shoes of someone like me (an entrepreneur who recently graduated college), but I realized that those who are looking for a job may not fully relate. That’s the weird thing about taking an entry-level job at the Freelancers Union. You won’t be a freelancer yourself, but you will be working to represent the “the needs of America’s independent workforce though advocacy, information, and service.”

The Struggles of a Freelancer

It’s not easy working for yourself. The hours are long, and the boss is usually a real jerk. All kidding aside, there are some serious challenges that the self-employed face.

Despite our contribution to America’s economy, we’re often left out of the social safety net. Most freelancers can’t access affordable insurance, are taxed more than traditional employees, and have limited access to protections such as unemployment insurance, retirement plans, and unpaid wage claims.

Sara Horowitz (a Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations grad like myself) decided that someone needed to stand up for all the freelancers. In 1995 the former labor lawyer founded Working Today as an advocacy organization for freelancers. From there, the organization “launched a Portable Benefits Network (PBN), to deliver benefits to independent workers in New York City.” Eventually the PBN outgrew its original mission, and was renamed the Freelancers Union, while Working Today remains a non-profit advocacy and research organization. The Freelancers Union is a four-time winner of Fast Company’s Social Capitalist Awards, and is working hard to improve the lives of those who call themselves their boss. The Freelancers Union isn’t what we’d traditionally consider to be a union (since I majored in labor relations, I could go on and on about why this is different from a traditional union, but I’ll spare you), but it shares many of the same goals in seeking the interests of its members.

Non-Freelance Jobs at the Freelancers Union

The Freelancers Union has a number of jobs that are directly aimed at new college grads. All of the necessary information is located on their Jobs page. Current opportunities that appear to be entry-level include Data Analyst, Member Services Associate, and Member Services Administrative Assistant. If you’re entrepreneurially minded, but not quite ready to start calling yourself your employer, this might be a great place to start. You’ll have the opportunity to network with tons of entrepreneurs, and you’ll be learning all about the issues that freelancers and entrepreneurs face because of our country’s bias against the self-employed. The Freelancers Union is located in Brooklyn, NY, and you can apply for jobs with them by sending a cover letter and resume to the e-mail addresses listed below the jobs on their Jobs page.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• FreelancersUnion.org
• Jobs at the Freelancers Union
• About the Freelancers Union
• The Freelancers Union Fact Sheet

Have you considered freelancing after graduation? Would you consider joining the Freelancers Union?