The Nature of NGOs

Greetings readers.

I have come across a difficult spot in my term. Due to loss of funding, CFY has had to scale back on operations. Several people are being laid off effective February 1. This includes the department I support. As I understand it, my role as Volunteer Coordinator will be changing, as there will no longer be a need to support and coordinate volunteers.

While it is a very difficult time for me, I am excited about the changes. I will miss my team, and the connections I've made with the volunteers. However, the new role I anticipate for me will include much more direct contact with the families we serve, less administration duties, and more time on site at the schools.

I anticipate supporting, coordinating, and teaching courses for our families. While my job description isn't official yet, I did visit with the Executive Director regarding my new position. I will know more in the next few days. In the meantime, I am transitioning out the Volunteer support tasks.

Even though I am excited about these changes, and am looking forward to supporting the organization in a new way, I have mixed feelings. It is hard to see your supervisor, and her supervisor laid off. It is awkward knowing the only reason why you are still here is because they don't have to pay you. It's hard not really knowing who you are supposed to report to during the transition.

CFY staff have been wonderful. Many have reached out to me to make sure I am doing alright, and are eager to offer support for me as I go through this transition. The MVS support committee is also very helpful.  I met with a member last night to help with support. I also met with the pastor. I doing alright. I've seen better days, but it's ok.

Unfortunately, this is the nature of NGOs. You could be doing great work, but if you can't convince the grant providers, you don't get the funding, and you don't get to keep the staff. I anticipate as I continue on my career path, there will be many more lay-offs. The opportunity for me in this one is to learn how to lay people off gracefully, how to accept the lay-off gracefully, and how to pick up the pieces as an organization.

I think CFY is doing well with these three pieces. We knew back in October that they may need to lay people off. We found yesterday officially who was going to be laid off. We will miss the members of our community very much. There are several people I have close bonds with, and I am sad to see them go. Your thoughts and prayers for us as we transition are appreciated.