Reposting this blog entry as a Conversation with Michael Golsworthy. Michael was with Gifts and Graces from September 2010 to April 2011. His many and varied contributions to the company are still being felt and used today. Get to know this former G&G Volunteer and be inspired to lend your time and talent to non-profits like G&G!
Michael Golsworthy (third from left) with Gifts & Graces staff. (L-R) Loida Balubayan, Fernando Regalado, Christina Pineda, Jonalyn Dupa, Marge Obligacion & Greg Perez at the Women's Empowerment event
G&G: Tell us your Name, Age, Nationality, Occupation
Michael Golsworthy, 28, Australian, Management consultant
G&G: What made you decide to volunteer?
MG: I volunteered because I wanted to utilise my consulting and project management skills to support a great cause: using entrepreneurship as a means to alleviate poverty.
G&G: As a volunteer how did you use your skills and experiences to help G&G and its advocacy?
MG: I worked together with Gifts and Graces to facilitate the development of its five year strategic plan and to assess and improve its organisational processes. During the course of the assignment, I also worked with G&G staff to build greater skills in strategic planning, project management and performance improvement methodologies to continue this work following my departure.
G&G: Why should other people do volunteer work? What did you gain from it?
MG: Volunteering can be both a professionally challenging and a personally rewarding experience. Many of the skills developed in the business sector can be applied to the non-profit sector, but often the challenges are greater due to the limited resources and multiple social and financial objectives. Experience in the non-profit sector can be invaluable in other sectors, for example solving problems in a resource-constrained environment. Personally, volunteering in the non-profit sector is both enjoyable and highly rewarding. The work is interesting, the sector is full of energetic and passionate individuals and the human impact of the work is not only very real, but creates a feeling that is impossible to match.
G&G: What made you decide to volunteer?
MG: I volunteered because I wanted to utilise my consulting and project management skills to support a great cause: using entrepreneurship as a means to alleviate poverty.
G&G: As a volunteer how did you use your skills and experiences to help G&G and its advocacy?
MG: I worked together with Gifts and Graces to facilitate the development of its five year strategic plan and to assess and improve its organisational processes. During the course of the assignment, I also worked with G&G staff to build greater skills in strategic planning, project management and performance improvement methodologies to continue this work following my departure.
G&G: Why should other people do volunteer work? What did you gain from it?
MG: Volunteering can be both a professionally challenging and a personally rewarding experience. Many of the skills developed in the business sector can be applied to the non-profit sector, but often the challenges are greater due to the limited resources and multiple social and financial objectives. Experience in the non-profit sector can be invaluable in other sectors, for example solving problems in a resource-constrained environment. Personally, volunteering in the non-profit sector is both enjoyable and highly rewarding. The work is interesting, the sector is full of energetic and passionate individuals and the human impact of the work is not only very real, but creates a feeling that is impossible to match.
Michael will be based in Manila on an eight month project assisting Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation to improve its organisational performance. Gifts and Graces support marginalised groups in their quest to become self-sufficient through livelihood. The organisation helps its partners with product design and development, and builds capability in production, enterprise management and marketing.Michael is passionate about improving the operations of organisations in the not-for-profit sector to achieve the best possible social outcomes with the limited resources available. He is very excited to have the opportunity to work together with Gifts and Graces to facilitate the development of its five year strategic plan and to assess its current organisational processes to identify and implement improvement opportunities. During the course of the assignment, Michael will coach Gifts and Graces staff in project management and performance improvement methodologies to ensure the organisation gains the capacity to continually improve its performance following his departure.Michael has a Bachelor degree in Economics from Monash University and a Master of Commerce (International Business/Finance) from the University of Sydney. He has worked in international trade policy with the Australian Government and as a management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he specialised in improving performance for government and not-for-profit sector clients.Michael hopes to utilise his consulting and policy skills and experience to deliver sustainable and replicable organisational improvements at Gifts and Graces.
Michael Golsworthy (corner right) in discussion with G&G's partner producers
at this year's Partner Conference
Gifts and Graces is always in need of volunteers to help us with our fair trade and livelihood support advocacy. If you have some time to spare, why not use it to make a difference in the lives of our partner marginalized communities? Help us with product design, writing, marketing, promotion, selling, capacity building or just come help us brainstorm ideas on how to make fair trade and social enterprises top-of-mind for shoppers.
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If you'd like to volunteer with Gifts & Graces you can write to us at:
info@giftsandgraces.com or call us at 759 - 2525
or visit us at: Unit 131 G/F Mile Long Building, Amorsolo St. Makati City
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