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Telecommute Internships at The Borgen Project

Are you seeking real world experience working as part of a news content team? Looking to build skills working as a journalist, writer, editor, or public relations/visual editor? Are you an independent self-starter? Does working from your personal computer appeal to you? Would you like to research, advocate, and produce content for a cause that is aiming to end global poverty?

If you said yes to the questions above, you may be a good fit for an telecommute internship with The Borgen Project. The Borgen Project is an innovative humanitarian organization downsizing global poverty located in Seattle, Washington. The Borgen Project volunteer network extends to 190 cities, and includes celebrities, political leaders, and a growing number of passionate individuals.

Currently, there are four open telecommute internship positions for The Borgen Project: Journalist, Writer, Editor, and PR/Visual Editor.

The time commitments for the internships vary depending on internship type. While The Borgen Project requires a 12-week program for journalists and writers, editors and PR/visual editors are required to spend 260 hours in total, and 15 hours each week.

Access to a computer is vital, as you will be communicating back and forth with supervisors at Seattle Headquarters, and fellow team members across the nation. Attendance to The Borgen Project national conference call from 5pm-6pm PST every Monday is also required.

Content workload varies depending on the internship type. Writers must complete 4 blog posts/magazine articles each week, journalist write 3 in-depth articles each week, PR/visual editors find, tint, and resize images to meet website criteria, and editors edit and approve articles submitted by content team writers. While each internship fills a certain role for The Borgen Project, all interns must spend 2-3 days assisting with fundraising, share Borgen Project articles and news via social media, meet deadlines, and effectively communicate with supervisors.

Interns are given the freedom to choose their own schedule within the required time commitment guidelines. The first week of the internship entails an online training curriculum that clearly lays out your role, what is expected of you, and eliminates any ambiguity about what you should be doing. Supervisors are supportive and can respond to any questions you have regarding fundraising, article content, article style, deadlines etc.

Additionally, interns have the opportunity to meet each other (people from all walks of life), network, and work within a community that extends across the nation. Internet and social media allow us to extend the values and mission of The Borgen Project across many networks.

View telecommute internship openings.

– Laura Reinacher

Sources: The Borgen Project
Photo: Smallbiz Technology

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Top 5 Reasons to Volunteer

‘Tis the season of giving, and as the saying goes, “It is better to give than to receive.” Yet, what is the actual reasoning behind this? Is it truly better to give, and if so, what should be given?

Studies show that volunteering time is one of the most positive, influential acts that a single individual can do. Not only are there immediate benefits for the recipients, but those who volunteer also experience positive effects.

Below is a list of the top reasons to volunteer.

1. “Be The Change”

As Mahatma Ghandi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” What better way to do so than by personally volunteering your time towards a cause of your choice? Not only will you make a difference in the lives of those you are helping, but providing variety in your daily routine will also be beneficial. The difference made in your own community, personal life, or even the world is unknown until you tap into its potential.

2. Acquire Career Related Skills

Volunteering in a field of your interest has been proven to be an effective way to gain hands-on experience for a future job. Aside from expanding your network, volunteering in your community or on a grander scale is a great attribute to your personal resume. Whether you intend on being a teacher or an individual who fights global poverty, volunteering with individuals locally or worldwide will give you experience on working in that field and with people around you. Employers are always seeking outgoing employees that display strong leadership skills. What better way to portray this than through volunteering for others?

3. Sometimes It Is Who You Know

Generally, throughout the course of a day, you meet at least one new person. It is also said that majority of your lifelong friends will be acquired during your time spent in college. However, while volunteering, not only do you meet an abundance of new people, but many of them have the same common interests as you. Despite cultural differences, backgrounds or personalities, the Good Samaritan-like deeds will bring you all together. These individuals could also provide for vital connections in future business or volunteering endeavors.

4. Expand Your Horizons

Often times during our lives, we find ourselves in a mundane routine, allowing life to pass us by. Volunteering is a great way to spice up and re-energize your daily life. By volunteering, you may discover new hobbies or interests that you would not have considered prior. Volunteering with the Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, or a senior home may open up other career pursuits.

5. Enhance Your Education

Valuable life lessons are often obtained from experience, rather than solely through a textbook. Education goes well beyond sitting inside of a classroom, retaining information taught by a standard curriculum. By volunteering, it shows employers that you went beyond what was required. Hands-on experience is a great way to optimize the amount of opportunities that could become available. Showing that you were able to maintain a good GPA as well as balancing volunteer time paints a better picture of who you are as an individual.

– Samaria Garrett

Sources: Help Guide, Huffington Post
Photo: Working Abroad

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Volunteer from Home

In our technologically advanced, post-modern society where humanitarian efforts are currently quite the hip thing to do, there is a lot to be done in terms of healing this world right from behind your very own computer screen.

 

View The Borgen Project’s Volunteer from Home Openings.

 

One notable website in this particular field is Volunteer Match, a page dedicated to helping you find your ultimate volunteering position. By detecting your location and prompting you for what issues you are for or against, divided into several categories (Advocacy & Human Rights, Animals, Art & Culture, Board Development), this handy page will connect you with your perfect organization. Thousands of positions are listed with the site, and by visiting the site, you are sure to find something that appeals to you.

A quick way to volunteer from home is to donate money to non-profit organizations. Yes, you’ve heard this one before; the importance of supporting your organizations each month cannot be stressed enough and definitely deserves some repeating. Most of the larger organizations, such as WWF and PETA, provide the option of donating a fixed amount of money each week; it is these donors that actively support respective causes.

Other opportunities for volunteering straight from home lie in the ability for communication. By buzzing a certain topic in your social circles, you raise awareness. Wish to have a more direct position in helping others? Why not volunteer for a crisis hotline focused on pressing issues?

An app exists for Apple users which allows smaller organizations to quickly and conveniently post new and ongoing projects for anybody who’s curious to keep up and participate. Increasing media presence and helping build a strong community among app users is currently the crucial focus of this app, called Sparked.

If you speak more than one language, you may consider translating some major organizations’ missions and progress reports into your language. Volunteering from home isn’t only convenient; it reaches many across the world and empowers those with access to a computer to truly make a difference. E-volunteering is truly a step toward the future, because as we know, nobody can do everything, yet everybody can do something. To apply this principle to the general public and derive an increase in involvement is exactly what is needed for absolving global issues.

– Natalia Isaeva
Sources: Volunteer Match, Idealist, Sparked
Photo: SES

 

View Remote Internships

 

Volunteer in the UAE

Volunteer in the UAE

Are you ready to volunteer in the UAE?

The Borgen Project offers volunteer opportunities throughout the UAE. These positions allow flexibility and are telecommuting, so they can be done from home. These volunteer openings are a great way to be part of a global community and connect to an international network of volunteers who are want to make change for the world’s poor.
Do you like to write about international affairs? Perhaps a writer or journalist position is right for you. Want to make changes at the policy level? Become an advocate! Whether you live in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or anywhere in the United Arab Emirates, anyone can apply for the openings. Internship opportunities also exists. Click the links below to see available openings.

 

What is The Borgen Project?

The Borgen Project is an innovative organization that is working to engage the public in efforts to reduce global poverty. We train even the smallest voice to make a difference and to take pride in being part of the political process. Voters don’t call Congress anymore, even though our political system is built on our representatives acting on the will of the people. Make a difference in your lifetime!

Volunteer UAE

Top 3 Reasons to Volunteer in the United Arab Emirates

  1. Shape the Culture: Living in the UAE, you’ve seen what wealth can buy and build, now let’s see what wealth can accomplish for the greater good. Like everywhere else, creating a culture that cares starts with a handful of committed people who can engage those around them. What makes the UAE unique is its small size and incredibly influential resources, so it’s much easier to connect with the local and expat community.
  2. Have Fun: Through The Borgen Project you can connect with an international community of accomplished, do-gooders and build a network of global support.
  3. Improve the World: There are few things more rewarding than helping others. Raise awareness, educate, interact, meet with Congressmen, learn from others: all ways to increase the interconnectedness of the world. Research also shows that doing something good makes you happier and healthier.

Photo: Digital Media in UAE

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5 Best Humanitarian Jobs

volunteer_abroad
For those individuals interested in the humanitarian work force, there are endless career possibilities. With over thousands of nonprofits and organizations to work with in virtually all countries across the globe, a wide variety of jobs are in abundance. But which jobs are the best? While everyone has their own preferences, these are the positions that seem to be most predominantly agreed upon as the best humanitarian jobs.

1. Volunteer

The most versatile and perhaps the most rewarding humanitarian job out there goes by the simple title of volunteer. Volunteers rarely make any money, but most all workers start at this position and are content with the opportunity to change lives.

2. Intern

A large number of nonprofits now offer internship programs, some paid and some unpaid. Depending on the organization, intern jobs can range from anything such as office work to traveling and even manual labor. Internships are a great starting place for people seeking careers in humanitarian work, as many internships feed directly into job opportunities.

3. Consultant

Nearly all humanitarian organizations are made up of several consultants—those who keep communication with important contacts and other outside individuals while answering any questions or concerns that the public might have. These positions are often paid.

4. Program Coordinator

Program coordinators play a vital role in nonprofits, as they are directly responsible for planning and executing specialized tasks for sub-organizations, events, etc. Depending on the organization at hand, these can be paid or unpaid positions.

5. Communications Specialist/Journalist

These jobs are often paid and include a number of important tasks ranging from making contact with other organizations to writing press releases for special functions, providing public relations tactics, and even publishing news as a journalist. This position typically allows for travel opportunities, as well.

– Meagan Hurley

Sources: Devex, Aid Worker Daily, Workforce Humanity
Photo: Cross-Cultural Solutions

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5 Ways to Make Your Workout Fight Poverty

Workout_Fight_Poverty
We all know working out is good for us. It makes you feel good and improves your health. But what if your workout could fight poverty as well? Sound too good to be true? It’s not! Here are 5 ways that you can help end poverty with your workout:

1) Charity Miles: This free app will track how many miles you run, walk, or bike and sponsor your efforts. For every mile you run or walk, they’ll donate a quarter, while a mile biking translates to a dime for charity. When you’re done with your workout, you share your success on a social media site and they send the money to a charity of your choice!

2) Run For Charity: This website will help you find a charity to run for. Charity runners use their training and hard work to raise money for the charity of their choice. Charities are extremely supportive of their runners, providing help with registration, training, and fundraising. Some will even have race day events for their runners. This is a great opportunity for runners to put all those miles to good use.

3) Plus 3 Network: This network was created by four guys who wanted to encourage people to get out and ride their bikes more. It has since grown to include all forms of exercise, which you can log on their website. You earn money for charity by logging your activity, so you feel even better about that yoga class or walk around the block.

4) Eco-Friendly Workout Gear: You show yourself some love by working out and staying healthy. Show the earth some love, too, by purchasing eco-friendly workout gear. Be sure to buy your shoes, socks, and clothing from eco-friendly companies like Montrail (shoes), Teko (socks), or Patagonia (clothing). Using reusable water bottles will keep plastic ones out of landfills and save you money. You can also look for secondhand fitness supplies, like weights, treadmills, and exercise balls to cut down on waste.

5) Donate Your Old Workout Gear: That fitness equipment that you just don’t use anymore could help someone else lead a healthier life. You can donate old sports balls, shoes, cleats, and the like to Sports Gifts, which redistributes old workout gear to underprivileged kids. Old tennis balls can go to Rebounces, which restores them and resells them as practice balls, saving space in our landfills. Your old orthotics that helped you get back to the activities you love can be given to Rebounces’ philanthropic organization, Joni and Friends. The nonprofit will give the equipment to disabled or injured people in the developing world.

– Katie Fullerton

Sources: Charity Miles, Plus 3 Network, SparkPeople, Oprah
Photo: DX Foundation

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What is Venture Philanthropy?

What_is_venture_capitalism
Venture philanthropy originated in the mid-1990s in the United States and began spreading through Europe around 2002. It is largely modeled after venture capitalism, in which professional investors use third-party funds to help startup businesses get off their feet.

In a similar way, venture philanthropists use their influence and skills to provide charities or socially minded enterprises with financial and non-financial aid. Venture philanthropy is often undertaken by organizations, which lend support to anywhere from 3 to 15 charities or socially conscious businesses. Individuals, families, and institutions usually provide the organizations’ funds.

The venture philanthropy movement originally began as an alternative to traditional philanthropy, in which high-quality nonprofits are given capital and room to work as they see fit.

Meanwhile, venture philanthropists are much more highly involved. Beyond just donating significant amounts of money, they may hold positions as board members or offer skills-based donations, such as business planning or executive coaching.

According to a 2004 report by Venture Philanthropy Partners, small and local nonprofits often lack the support they need. They can, therefore, be significantly helped by venture philanthropy, which provides long-term financial support, strategic advice, and helpful professional connections.

Depending on the goal of the philanthropy, and the types of organizations supported, venture philanthropists often choose to give in different ways. While some organizations dole out non-returnable grants seen as investments with only social returns, others use various types of loans to help charities or social enterprises get started and continually grow. Once these loans are repaid, the money is reinvested in another organization or startup company.

Venture philanthropists also generally commit to multi-year support at a substantial level, with the goal of financial independence once funding ceases. Additionally, venture philanthropists aim to improve the long-term viability of their investees by funding core operating expenses, rather than individual projects or programs.

Finally, venture philanthropists highly emphasize results and good business practices. They generally hold their recipients to high accountability and management standards, and expect goals to be achieved. This highlighting of measurable outcomes is one of the more obvious similarities between venture philanthropy and venture capitalism.

Venture philanthropy allows donors to become highly invested while working with charities and social entrepreneurs. It also provides many organizations, especially small and local ones, with the long-term and varied assistance they need.

By providing an alternative to hands-off donations, venture philanthropy encourages people to actively change the world around them. It has possibly even substantially widened the range of people becoming philanthropists by appealing to a field of entrepreneurs whose experience and expertise can be valuable assets to charities and socially conscious startup businesses.

Venture philanthropy offers a unique and very often successful approach to improving our society and the world, and should therefore enjoy continued support.

– Katie Fullerton
Sources: Social Innovations Europe, Forbes, Slate, Venture Philanthropy Partners
Photo: Francis Moran