It is well documented, that significant or genuinely revolutionary change never comes “from the center” of the status quo. One of my personal favorite explanations of this came in the Thomas Khun’s 1962 “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions,” an explanation of paradigmatic change that does more than “rearrange the cups and books on the coffee table.”
NGOs by their very nature respond to what is not working in the mainstream either of government or society. They are, the larger sense, human exploration of solutions to ongoing and often systemic problems. NGOs are essential to the health development of our global society.
That being said, their path is not always easy. By their very nature, they are trailblazers—envisioning, re-envisioning, and often creating new projects, programs and systems from the ground up. This does not always make the current form of an NGO perfect or without need of upgrading either. But in the bigger picture, all their efforts are more than needed. They are essential.
By their very nature, they (NGOs) are trailblazers—envisioning, re-envisioning, and often creating new projects, programs and systems from the ground up… They are essential.
This trailblazing can be hard work. And even mis-understood. Short phrases that understate many consequences for those that live their NGO’s missions.
But for those NGOs that have in their thinking and determination, the desire to take their story, their projects, their solutions to the global level, and to make that part of their change-leadership efforts, it becomes important for the NGO representatives so tasked (or called) to expand their understanding of not just what IS the multi-lateral environment of the United Nations. They need to get up to speed very quickly on how to be effective in the UN environment.
But this too can take years. Shortening this learning curve is not only a strategic choice. It is imperative.
Shortening this learning curve is not only a strategic choice. It is imperative.
Life is short. Change needs to take place at an increasingly fast pace. So unitizing what took others years to learn and condensing it into weeks and months becomes an imperative and not just a “nice idea.”
This is the purpose of the NGO Academy, to squeeze time—at least the time it takes to learn how to make an impact at the UN.
Do take advantage of the resources available to you on this site. Yes, most of them are in the membership area. We have many free resources as well as more extensive and in-depth training.
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We have access to great short courses, basic info about the UN and more.
