Shifting Gears From Journalism to Non-Profit
As some of you may know, I come from a journalism background. Before I became Vice President at Boys and Girls Club of Canada, I worked on publications like Le magazine Cineplex and Le magazine Famous Quebec. I couldn’t have gotten where I am today, though, without the help of my friend and mentor David Yarnold.
Like me, David started out his career as a journalist. He began as a photo editor for the San Jose Mercury News in 1978 and eventually worked his way up to serve as the paper’s editor and senior vice president. While there, he earned a number of awards for his leadership and writing, including being recognized as one of three finalists for 2005’s Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing.
After this, David decided to pursue his passion (many of which he wrote on often in his career) and enter the non-profit sector. His love for nature and environmental conservation led him to become Executive Director of the Environmental Defense Fund and later to his current position as President and CEO of the National Audubon Society.
David really paved the way for journalists who want to use their talents to help the world in a different way. He taught me to see myself not as a journalist, but as a person with a set of skills I could bring to a new career. Good communication skills, a strong work ethic, and creativity are key in journalism but can also be applied to the world of non-profits.
Most importantly, a journalist’s story-telling skills can change the way non-profits operate for the better. Non-profits rely on donations, but if you don’t tell potential donors an engaging story about why they should support your organization, why should they give? You have to give them a scenario with a beginning, a middle, and an end rather than just spewing out data. Knowing how people think and what they respond to in a news context has helped me so much in my current marketing position with Boys and Girls Club of Canada.
When I turned 40, I knew that I had to make a change. It’s easy to get comfortable in your line of work. Working in journalism was a great way to connect with people, but I knew I had to do more. Becoming an advocate for children in Canada makes me feel so fulfilled but there is still so much more work to be done!
If you’re thinking about moving from the world of journalism to a non-profit, don’t hesitate. It felt scary to shift gears like that at first, but I have absolutely zero regrets. Find your passion and use your skills to work towards a cause you feel strongly about!
