“Ignorance is Bliss”. This is the state of more than half of the population of India which has orthodox views about unique or upcoming careers. Your relatives might have asked you a million times about “tum exactly karti kya ho” only to again repeat “Iska koi scope nai hai yaha pe”. If you’re among the one’s pursuing an unconventional career, then you’ve definitely experienced this. For people who want to do social work but whose hopes have been dashed by “Suna hai ki paise nai milenge social work karne se”, this ones for you!
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Scope hai!
India being a developing country has seen a spurt in social enterprises. Increased awareness amongst people who want to take charge and be less dependent on the government has paved way for this rise in social enterprises. These organizations work in different fields like healthcare, girl child education and women empowerment to bring about a change. Today it’s one of the best times to be a part of social enterprises because:
a) It reflects your concern for the society in your CV. This will give you more preference over other candidates.
b) You can apply your skill and knowledge and can even pursue it on a part-time basis along with any other job/freelance opportunity.
c) Also, with experience, you get higher packages as compared to your initial package. This happens because with experience, your skill set will also sharpen overtime.
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No social life?
Trust me, it’s a wrong notion! Although social enterprises may not have any expensive perks like (bonuses, leaves), it still will give you the time to get to know yourself better. Many individuals working in stressful jobs, give up on stressful jobs. They begin working in these organisations to make their life more meaningful. Not only that, they also work and socialise with their fellow coworkers and enjoy the positivity associated with the work.
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Knowing your subject + Application of skills = Successful Samajh Sevak
If you feel that becoming a social worker is an easy task, then you’re in for a surprise! Most social enterprises have CV screenings and then interview the individuals who would want to be a social worker. The questions asked are usually case related. For example: If a child in your class is least interested to study, how would you approach him and ask him to study. Through questions like these, the organisation tries to gauge the personality and characteristics you have as a person. This is the deciding factor for them to see whether you fit the profile or no.
PS: If you’re short-tempered, then work on staying calm because social enterprises need a calm environment to get things done.
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Teaching is not the only option!
Social enterprises have different departments which work together to achieve goals of the enterprise. There are departments like marketing, finance, social media, Public Relations, Human Resources, which need people in large numbers. With almost every organisation’s plan to expand across India, the need for employees has increased threefold. Although the focus areas of the social organisations differ from each other, each enterprise still needs people from different job profiles to help the organisation achieve its objectives.
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Aree, Yeh log sirf donation lete hai, kaam nai karte!
Heard this very often to a point where you get annoyed? Me too! Most people will tell you that social enterprises are a money making scam, but, that’s not true. News channels like CNBC and NDTV award social workers for the impact that they have been able to create through their work. The details about the social enterprises are well documented so that the panel of judges can arrive at a conclusion. Shows like Young Turks showcases how social enterprises have changed lives. Also, a lot of organisations don’t even depend on donations but have figured their own revenue models or have strategic partnerships with a larger organisation.
6. Social Work is NOT only associated with an NGO
Most of us tend to blur the lines between social work and NGO. Doing social work does not necessarily mean that you’ll be working in an NGO. Social Work refers to any kind of assistance which is given to the community. It could be as simple as empowering them with information or undertaking services such as taking care of elderly people and turning it into a social venture. So, the next time people tell you that social work and working in an NGO is the same thing, you know where they might have probably gone wrong!
Don’t live in a bubble of false beliefs. Break the bubble, and you’ll see the number of opportunities that will unfurl for you! Social enterprises are a great place to work in, so if you’re passionate it, go pursue it!
