SIX MONTHS AFTER STARTING WITH ACTIONAID IRELAND, JULIANNE FLYNN TALKED TO FOR PURPOSE ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE OF THE PROGRAMME

 

FOR PURPOSE: WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN COLLEGE?

Julianne Flynn: I studied Sociology and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin, with a year abroad at the University of Melbourne.

This course is essentially a mixture of social theory, economics, politics, and social research methods. It’s the systematic study of society and how policy shapes our lives.

FP: WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE NOT‐FOR‐PROFIT SECTOR?

JF: There wasn’t a lightbulb moment per se, but rather a deep belief in equality and justice. Having spent four years analysing the various ways in which gender, race and class systematically produce and reproduce inequalities, the not-for-profit sector appealed to me as it presents a productive way to challenge these forces.

In a world of rising populism, income inequality, and climate change – the not-for-profit sector and civil society are essential gatekeepers for democracy. Having campaigned for the Marriage Equality in 2015 and then ‘Together for Yes’ in 2018, I saw how civil society led the way in demanding governments to act – and I knew I wanted to be part of it.

FP: WHEN AND HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT FOR PURPOSE?

JF: I heard about For Purpose through gradireland.com. It came at a time where I was beginning to question why I followed my passion (instead of studying something with a concrete ‘career path’), so I was really excited to finally find a graduate opportunity that suited me.

FP: HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW WITH FOR PURPOSE/ACTIONAID?

JF: There is so much information available right at your fingertips. ActionAid has all their strategies and publications online and I remember spending hours reading through them – out of pure interest as much as anything else. I think this really stood to me during the interview process. I also monitored ActionAid’s social media pages, so I was up to date with campaigns and events.

For the interview, I was asked to give a presentation on how to develop ActionAid’s ‘tax-back’ campaign. I spent a great deal of time familiarising myself with the scheme and analysing the strengths and weaknesses of ActionAid’s campaign and comparing it to what others in the sector were doing.

FP: WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MONTH IN ACTIONAID LIKE?

JF: I started in December – a notoriously busy time in the not-for-profit sector. ActionAid had just sent out an appeal for donations and board reports were looming.

It was a steep learning curve, but I was given loads of training and immediately felt welcome and supported.

FP: DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO ON A TYPICAL DAY?

JF: Today, I spent the first half of the day writing a newsletter to be sent to ActionAid supporters and after lunch, I managed the recruitment for a vacant position at ActionAid.

Given the multifaceted nature of my role, no two days are the same. This has proved useful as I now have experience in a wide range of areas, from campaign management to copywriting.

I go to work each day feeling like I’m making a tangible difference to ActionAid Ireland – and that is tremendously rewarding.

FP: WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN THE NOT‐FOR‐PROFIT SECTOR BEEN SO FAR?

JF: Fantastic! I love being surrounded by inspiring people who are eager to make a difference. I’ve also been impressed with the way the sector works together in sharing ideas.

FP: HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING A PART OF FOR PURPOSE?

JF: I feel really lucky to be part of the For Purpose programme. The monthly mentoring sessions have proved really useful for general tips and advice. The roundtable discussions also provide great insight into various aspects of the sector.

FP: FOR ANYONE THINKING ABOUT APPLYING TO THE FOR PURPOSE PROGRAMME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?

JF: Just go for it! It may feel daunting and you may feel inexperienced, but you’d be amazed by how much you can learn when you’re thrown into the deep end. I think this programme would suit anyone who is passionate about social issues and eager to make a difference.

On Thursday 07^th February the For Purpose team attended the GradIreland Live! fair in the RDS where we were joined by over 50 exhibitors and over 4,000 students and graduates. The fair marked a fantastic opportunity for the team to shed light on the potential for graduates to pursue a career in the not-for-profit sector.

The day began with a very informative panel discussion on ‘Careers with Purpose – Graduate Opportunities in the Not-for-Profit Sector’ which was chaired by For Purpose Manager, Adrian McCarthy. The discussion panel featured Elizabeth Bolger, Director of Programmes with The Wheel, Orla Gilroy, CEO of Cappagh Hospital Foundation and Esmay Murray, a current For Purpose trainee with Sightsavers Ireland. The session proved to be an informative one for attendees on the range of opportunities for graduates in the sector and how to begin their career in it.

At the For Purpose stand, we spoke to a large number of students and graduates who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in the sector. Students from a broad range of degrees and third-level institutions came to speak to us on the day about the programme and how they could apply their skills and knowledge in the sector.

For Purpose expects to have a significant number of graduate opportunities available this year with our various partner organisations across areas ranging from fundraising & communications, social housing, social care, finance and more.

We hope to see some of the students and graduates we spoke to at the fair joining the For Purpose programme in the future!

Yesterday, The For Purpose team attended the Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) Careers Fair. We joined over 50 companies at the fair talking to DkIT students about their future career prospects. The For Purpose stand garnered a lot of attention with students eager to learn more about beginning a career in the not-for-profit sector.

The For Purpose programme was well received by all, with students demonstrating that there is still uncertainty around a clear entry point into the sector for graduates. In particular, we observed that there was a strong interest in the For Purpose programme from DkIT’s social care students, with the mentoring opportunities the programme provides proving to be a particularly attractive point for students in addition to the diversity of the For Purpose partner organisations.

There was also significant interest in For Purpose from students from a variety of disciplines such as business studies, marketing & communications, digital media, IT, engineering and more. The interest in For Purpose from students of all backgrounds highlights that a ‘career with purpose’ is attractive to graduates of all disciplines. Due to the diverse nature of the not-for-profit sector and the many different services For Purpose partner organisations offer, it is important that the programme attracts a diverse pool of graduates to meet their needs. We believe that by doing this, For Purpose will begin to shape the future of the sector by bringing in its future leaders.

We were delighted to have the opportunity to speak to the students of DkIT and we look forward to seeing many of their faces again in the future when the For Purpose campaign launches in January 2019. If you would like any further information about the programme please contact the For Purpose Manager, Adrian McCarthy at adrian.mccarthy@forpurpose.ie or on 01-234-3135.