Making a Difference 101

Written by Jennifer Tkach

Making a difference tends to be a common goal for many aspiring youth; it tends to be the source of motivation and inspiration for most. The question is how does one accomplish this? Making a difference is more often easier said than done, but not when it comes to Inspired 2 Uplift. By joining our organization, any youth is provided with the right tools and assets necessary to accomplish making an impactful change, whether it be through applying to a directorial position, exploring internal and external roles, or starting a new chapter of I2U. 

Inspired 2 Uplift offers three primary directorial positions for youth between the ages of 17 and 24, positions that present applicants with numerous beneficial skills to take away from, simultaneously helping them practice making this aforementioned change we discussed. To begin, there is the Director of Internal Affairs, a position that navigates the layered interior of the organization, from overlooking global events and fundraisers to contributing significant leadership for the Human Resources team, bridging the gap between numerous departments throughout the organization, and practicing nuanced and effective communication. The importance of this role transcends the borders of the non-profit, providing those who pursue this role with skills and experience to take on into their future and professional pursuits. These skills include leadership development by managing and communicating between high volumes of people and teams, conflict resolution through navigating dilemmas associated with the role, project management through leading resource allocation and organization, and ethics and compliance by understanding company procedures and the importance of adhering to policy, just a few to name. 

We can turn our focus to the Director of  External Affairs, a position that puts the individual to be the head of marketing, sponsorships , and outreach for the non-profit organization. The Director of Internal Affairs is responsible for the implementation and development of strategies and integrating initiatives that maintain brand consistency, while navigating community outreach and practicing public relations. Through this position, individuals will be responsible for crafting and conveying the image of organization, accomplishing this through collaboration with other departments and workers, building and maintaining professional and meaningful relationships with sponsors, and practicing community outreach by developing strategies and goals that align with the organization's initiatives. Just as the previous role, this one garners its own beneficial and important takeaways. This includes strategic communication, not only internally and between other departments, but also through outreach efforts and relationship building with endorsers. Skills associated with brand management are enhanced through illustrating the organization's values, and the development of analytical skills, obtained through analyzing feedback and identifying trends.  

The third directorial position is just as important and influential as the others, that being the Director of Chapter Affairs. As mentioned in numerous earlier articles, Chapters are a fundamental aspect of the organization, with the position providing the applicant with the opportunity to oversee the affairs and processes associated with this integral department. The Director of Chapter Affairs manages the Chapters through practicing leadership and building strategies, doing so while collaborating closely with Chapter volunteers, including Chapter liaisons, managers, buddies, and so forth. Their responsibilities extend to ensuring operations run smoothly, coinciding this with making certain that the organization's values and missions are established throughout. A position such as this one equips the candidate with skills of significant leadership and people management, through providing Chapter guidance and support, organizational and strategic planning through goal alignment, allocating resources, event planning and coordination, and problem solving paired with adaptability, something gained from performance tracking and improvement.

Pivoting away from directorial positions, we can place our attention onto equally meaningful roles within the internal and external departments. Roles in terms of external positions include social media managers, content creators and digital marketers, graphic designers, and blog writers. Each of these positions offers endless takeaways, as well as opportunities to make a difference for any and all applicants. For instance, as a content creator and digital marketer, those who apply will be given the opportunity to craft and create content for the organizations digital platforms, utilizing various digital tools and executing campaigns, while targeting specific audiences. Applicants have the opportunity to employ creative methods to make this aforementioned difference, relaying the important messages and missions of the non-profit, while gaining significant understanding of online trends and formulating engagement. In terms of internal positions, the list includes Event Coordinators, Human Resources, and the Head of Finance. Just as with all other positions, these internal ones are fundamental to the continued success of I2U, and execute a difference in their own unique ways. If we take a look at Human Resource positions, identifying the benefits and ways in which one can implement a difference becomes apparent. As an HR Representative, candidates are given the imperative role of onboarding new employees, allowing them to meet one-on-one with those who express a dedication towards eliciting a change, them being directly responsible for helping these new applicants create the difference they hope to make. In addition to onboarding new members, HR positions are responsible for supporting the existing members, while providing them constant and beneficial guidance, while maintaining a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Such a role gifts candidates with important skills, consisting of interpersonal skills from relationship building and addressing needs of members, recruitment through evaluating resumes, applications, and screenings, alongside organizing and managing the hiring process, and training or development skills, obtained through program development and being a pillar of resources and support. 

Each of these roles offers multifaceted skills and ample opportunities for applicants to evoke a difference, and starting a new chapter of the organization follows this belief without fail. What it means to start a chapter is to bring Inspired 2 Uplift to an educational institution or specific school, the goal being to bring awareness to youth with disabilities, simultaneously providing them with the proper and necessary support. These chapters include instituting the Buddy Program, where local students have the opportunity to become trained buddies who pair up with students that need support, with other benefits including funds for the branch, personalized emails, and so forth. By starting a chapter, one can present a positive impact on the community, while simultaneously obtaining project management skills, alongside leadership, organizational, and collaboration skills. Starting a chapter does not end there, however. Through doing so, one can begin to build their own team of members, including trained and skilled buddies, planning different events or fundraisers, overseeing the chapters processes, and working closely with other members of Inspired 2 Uplift.  

This is just breaking the surface in terms of the work that can be accomplished upon joining the Inspired 2 Uplift team. Each position presents numerous opportunities for character growth and the building of important skills, both in the professional world, and personal. Whether it be as a blog writer who writes articles on a regular basis, as a chapter starter completing their high school journey, or as an event coordinator meticulously planning several events throughout the organization, leaving a mark and creating an impact is a guarantee. Making a difference can be a difficult journey to navigate, however through joining our organization, making this difference has never been easier.