Cristina SanVicente: "Working for a non-profit does not necessarily make you a better person - but it does mean that you get the experience of a lifetime!"
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My
interest for the non-profit/social change sector has been a life-long passion.
As a youth activist organising awareness activities on global human rights
issues with Amnesty International, and then at a Canadian University working
with my local ‘Green Group’ implementing environmental practices on campus, I
realised that putting my ideals into practice was a reflection of my belief
that people can work together to influence and direct social change.
My job for Greenpeace China puts me in contact with a lot of our supporters and donors. There are those who write letters thanking us for work on specific projects, or who drop by the office to pick up the latest Annual Report or newsletter, and my favourite - the letters from children who often ask the toughest questions about our work.
The challenges facing the environment are growing every day. As Greenpeace works to address them, I continue to be inspired by how much can be achieved with people like you behind us.
Please feel free to continue to contact us at donorservices@hk.greenpeace.org and let us know how we’re doing.
Feeling Good by Doing Good
Imagine waking up every day knowing that you are doing something good for the global community. People like me work for non-profits because they believe in a cause - in my case working for an environmental group that campaigns on the most crucial worldwide threats to our planet's biodiversity and environment.
Greenpeace has the
global reach to push through the kind of change that is needed to press world
leaders and companies to adopt environmental policies to make this world safe
for future generations and us. When I decided to make the leap of faith and
leave my job at Greenpeace International to join our Greenpeace China office as
Fundraising Director, I knew that the work I would do here would have
far-reaching results. As China’s astronomical economic growth and size vastly
increase the strain on the world’s fast diminishing natural resources, it is
crucial that Greenpeace works with the people of Hong Kong and China to build a
green growth future for this part of the world. Greenpeace China has achieved a
lot of campaign success over the last 10 years, but there is so much more to do
and I am glad I am here to play a part.Imagine waking up every day knowing that you are doing something good for the global community. People like me work for non-profits because they believe in a cause - in my case working for an environmental group that campaigns on the most crucial worldwide threats to our planet's biodiversity and environment.
It's a Great Experience - but it is also tough
We aim to use our member’s contributions as efficiently as possible. So, working for Greenpeace you get to wear many hats and really ‘test’ your capabilities and potential. If you work in Greenpeace’s marketing and communications department, you might be the publications manager, the webmaster, the special events planner, and a media spokesperson - all at the same time. Try that in the commercial world. The experience you gain from working for Greenpeace you can take with you whether you stay at your non-profit or go to work for a corporation.
Ask any of my
colleagues at Greenpeace if their work is easy, and they will likely laugh at
you. Not only is the work difficult,
many would argue that it is much more challenging than working in the
commercial sector. Employees in non-profits are often asked to do more with
less, and in shorter periods of time, while considering more opinions and keeping
more people happy than their commercial counterparts. The results of this hard
work are often intangible because a balance sheet has yet to be invented which
accounts for profit versus environmental damage. It's sometimes difficult to
get up every day to protect our world’s forests or defend the planet's oceans.
But, we do it and we love it!We aim to use our member’s contributions as efficiently as possible. So, working for Greenpeace you get to wear many hats and really ‘test’ your capabilities and potential. If you work in Greenpeace’s marketing and communications department, you might be the publications manager, the webmaster, the special events planner, and a media spokesperson - all at the same time. Try that in the commercial world. The experience you gain from working for Greenpeace you can take with you whether you stay at your non-profit or go to work for a corporation.
My job for Greenpeace China puts me in contact with a lot of our supporters and donors. There are those who write letters thanking us for work on specific projects, or who drop by the office to pick up the latest Annual Report or newsletter, and my favourite - the letters from children who often ask the toughest questions about our work.
The challenges facing the environment are growing every day. As Greenpeace works to address them, I continue to be inspired by how much can be achieved with people like you behind us.
Please feel free to continue to contact us at donorservices@hk.greenpeace.org and let us know how we’re doing.
