A new episode in NGOs You Should Know:
Sachi is a CISVer I met during the IBM in Denmark in 1998, who is from New York. In her home town she created her own NGO, called Border Crossers. The concept is quite simple, and related to CISV: Bring kids from different parts of the (segregated) city together, so that they can reduce pejudices.
CISV frustrates me sometimes, because it's so expensive to fly 48 kids from around the globe together for a village - enter Border Crossers: An organization that has obviously become very successfull in a short period of time, by creating a multi-ethnic get-together within a single country, no city!
Then again the founder is a CISVer, so - yeah - CISV might have paid off after all.
Read more about Border Crossers on their website.
Sachi also wrote an aricle in the Local Work Magazine 2005 (p11) about Border Crossers.
Sachi is a CISVer I met during the IBM in Denmark in 1998, who is from New York. In her home town she created her own NGO, called Border Crossers. The concept is quite simple, and related to CISV: Bring kids from different parts of the (segregated) city together, so that they can reduce pejudices.
CISV frustrates me sometimes, because it's so expensive to fly 48 kids from around the globe together for a village - enter Border Crossers: An organization that has obviously become very successfull in a short period of time, by creating a multi-ethnic get-together within a single country, no city!
Then again the founder is a CISVer, so - yeah - CISV might have paid off after all.
Read more about Border Crossers on their website.
Sachi also wrote an aricle in the Local Work Magazine 2005 (p11) about Border Crossers.
I think CISV can be compared with basic research (Grundforschung). It does not yield visible measurable outcome today, but it advances and shapes science (for us: changes and develops people).
Sachi is in that sense a good example. Through CISV she learned something and then took it further herself.
A lot of what we do in CISV is indeed very abstract. But in many cases abstract is good. It allows people to separate learning from the conflicts of everyday life, and then to apply what has been learned to everyday life.
Wasn't this also Doris' initial idea; to shape the leaders (in many senses of the word) of tomorrow, and thereby preventing conflicts, rather than to solve the direct conflicts of today?
Border Crossers is Hiring
Director of Development and Operations
Border Crossers is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring together young students from demographically distinct neighborhoods to develop leadership for social change. Border Crossers seeks a second person to join a two-person team that will lead the organization. This position offers huge opportunities for personal and professional growth. We are looking for a person who has the energy and vision to take our program model to the next level and help create the infrastructure to make Border Crossers sustainable over the long term.
Qualifications:
Demonstrated commitment to Border Crossers' mission.
Desire to push the envelope with regard to talking about differences (based on race, class, gender, etc.) and engaging others in conversations about the implications of differences.
Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of work experience in nonprofit, fundraising, or related field.
Superior organization and writing skills with acute attention to detail.
Excellent computer and time management skills including the ability to work independently.
Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
Demonstrated fundraising experience (or transferable skill-set) and willingness to share personal resources (networks, contacts, etc.).
Facilitation experience (or eagerness to learn) and ability to take initiative in educational settings.
Passion, flexibility, and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done.
Responsibilities include:
Development: Spearhead development efforts including: conceive and implement long-term fundraising plan, develop processes for donor cultivation and stewardship, create reports regarding fundraising efforts and resources, maintain database, prepare Annual Letter, work with Board Chair to set Board goals for fundraising, and oversee Annual Event. In addition, work in partnership with the Director of Education in writing grant proposals and budgets, and conducting outreach and following up with foundations.
Operations: Support infrastructure for growth by monitoring Border Crossers' books, payroll, benefits, office supplies and services, donor database, website, etc.
Program Activities: Support Director of Education by attending Meet-Ups, teaching model lessons, and assisting with trainings.
Sister-School Leadership Teams: Coordinate and build relationships between Sister-School stakeholders, engage parents and teachers in leading shared school activities, and identify on-going opportunities for schools to work together and share resources with each other.
The Director of Development and Operations will initially report to the Director of Education.
Border Crossers is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@bordercrossers.org by May 30, 2009.