Taking a harder look at how I could perhaps get a business/ non profit organization up and running where I could have a paid position in poverty advocacy, and what the job would entail.
Since the days I wrote articles such as Hire Kendall Worth and Join Team Kendall Worth I have spoken with different people in the community regarding ways I could get a paid position doing poverty advocacy type work for a living. These people include business people, entrepreneurs, consultants, business service providers, and even some who do humanitarian work and advocacy.
These people tell me I could start a business or a non-profit. They believe local employment agencies, disabilities organizations and even schools and colleges might be willing to hire me to conduct workshops and teach courses on how to get out of poverty, and other poverty related issues.
However for this to happen I would first have to put together plans as to how I am going to run workshops and what I would be teaching.
What would the job be like?
When you help people living in poverty in any way, whether it is helping them find jobs, or working in a shelter, what you are really doing is humanitarian work. Working to help people who are living in poverty is work which provides these people with relief.
It is difficult to provide statistics here, but from my personal observation it seems that anywhere within the range of 40% to 60% of the poor who visit these places for the free food are people who are able to work full time, or for some at least part time. If these people could get work, then they would have an opportunity to make their living situation and lives better. Helping them accomplish that is an example of relief work.
Being a humanitarian is a lifestyle as well as a job. I say this is because we can help people in our regular day to day lives. Helping people in poverty situations will at times mean having to be available when needed. This could mean working beyond a regular 9 to 5 work day if need be.
How would it work?
I personally talk to people living in poverty who tell me that if they had a program available like my get out of poverty boot camp, they would be interested in taking that in order to start looking for work or get back into training.
The local employment agencies do not offer job loss support group meeting. This is one of many things my organization would offer if I could get it up and running. Also, local employment agencies and potential employers do not visit or do outreach at the places such as shelters and soup kitchens.
Doing poverty advocacy as paid employment would mean I would have to start up my own not-for-profit organization. The goal is not to make a profit. People living in poverty cannot afford to pay for my services out of their own pocket. A non profit still makes money. However it makes money through government funding, donations, grants, and through fundraising.
Just like a starting a business, you have to write a business plan for starting a non profit. The reason for that is because places that are going to help you still need to know how you propose to run the organization. They also need to see in writing the type of work the organization is planning to engage into.
If you have the right planning, knowledge and expertise in place, it certainly can happen!
Click here to read the business plan proposal written by Kendall Worth
Kendall Worth is a poverty activist and co-chair of the Benefits Reform Action Group
