Job Discussion Forums

lclaroche · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 21 Location: Seattle, USA

Hello- A question for you all: I'm trying to graduate from teaching ESL to doing work with NGOs in some sort of relief/development capacity, but don't really know how to make that leap.
I have over six years experience in education, most of it teaching ESL/Special Ed in inner city high schools in the US.
In my freetime, I've been a community organizer for various large-scale endeavors. I also translate and occasionally do freelance journalism.
Finally, I have extensive abroad experience living, working, and traveling across a good part of the globe.
I'd like to get a job with an NGO, but find it difficult, daunting and unuccessful to simply send resumes to UNICEF and the like. Does anyone know how to approach NGOs in general, or know a good one that's looking for people who have a decent background but isn't specifically disaster related nor filled with needed skills (nursing, medical, engineering, etc)?

Thanks!

Chris

ps- though I'm posting this in the Africa section, I'm not necessarily looking in Africa, but am willing to go anywhere. I just don't want to teach ESL any more!

Sunflower_in_your_hand · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 7

well I don't know exactly what work you want to do but the first thing that came to mind for me would be to work with children. there are several orgs that deal with street children, or orphans giving them a safe haven, that would also allow you to use your teaching skills and most of them are small enough that you would be given managerial responsibilities. you could slowly move that way.
the thing with NGO's is all in the name, once you have one name and you get in the door you are pretty much set. I'd look to start with one that partners with a larger NGO. you can usually look up the large NGO's online and find out who their local partners are.
I hope i've been helpful

7734 · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 17

Does anyone have a specific name of these NGOs?

Searching online at random is so tedious, and there is no way to verify the information.

sheikxhoni · Joined: 28 Jun 2009 Posts: 48 Location: Bangkok

When I was with the embassy in Albania I had several friends with NGOs and they had a special website they went to for their part of the world. That was several years ago and I was interested in ESL teaching myself. But it seems like you should be able to Google things like NGO employment and find out where the jobs are that way. The NGO people - like the ESL people p seemed to have their own resources and ways to move from job to job. We have Daves and a few others. Google Google Google and you should be fine - -

flyingcarpet · Joined: 01 Aug 2009 Posts: 15

From the little I have seen, a common way is to volunteer for a year or so working free. (If you have a paid job in the meantime, that really helps!) During that time, while you are at one of their offices, they will get familiar with you and if you make a good impression they might support an application later for a paid position.

Find a UNESCO field office, since you have a background in Education. Write to people that work there and schmooze a little.

Good luck!