Resource Generation Family Philanthropy Fellowship

Want to learn about social justice, family philanthropy and national organizing, all while helping Resource Generation organize young people with wealth? Introduction Applications are now being accepted for Resource Generation’s Fall Fellowship program. The initial position available and advertised below is for the RG Family Philanthropy Fellow. This position is located in Seattle, with the possibility of the Bay Area for the right candidate. A small stipend is available if needed.

Background Resource Generation (RG) organizes young people with wealth to leverage resources and privilege for social change. Through community building, education and organizing, we help young people with wealth bring all they have and all they are to the social change movements and issues they care about. Key programs and resources include a developing network of local chapters, national conferences, delegations, action projects and publications. Find out more and check us out at www.resourcegeneration.org.

Fellowship Program RG is looking for motivated individuals to form our inaugural fellowship team. Each fellow will have the chance to work alongside an RG staff member on a specific topic area. Fellows will gain invaluable experience in the field of philanthropy, social change organizing and many facets of non-profit work.

Eligibility These are ideal positions for students or recent graduates, though all individuals are eligible and encouraged to apply. Fellows will receive supervision and support but should also be comfortable working independently. The schedule is flexible and we are happy to accommodate requirements for academic credit. Fellows can request a small stipend as needed.

Title: Family Philanthropy Fellow Location: Downtown Seattle, WA (possibility of Bay Area as well for the right candidate) Supervisor: The Fellow will be supervised and work alongside Michael Gast, RG Co-Director. Position Summary: The Family Philanthropy Fellow’s main responsibility will be as lead coordinator for the 2011 Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy (CCTFP) Retreat. The CCTFP Retreat is for young people who participate in their families’ philanthropy and are committed to progressive social change. Info on last year’s retreat can be found here. Responsibilities include: • Supporting retreat planning committee • Coordinating logistics for participants, presenters and on-site • Updating and maintaining retreat website • Managing creation of retreat materials • Tracking and managing retreat registration • Advising on strategy for RG Family Philanthropy Program • Data entry into Salesforce database for Family Philanthropy Program Qualifications: • An interest in family philanthropy, social justice, and organizing • Strong communication and organization skills • A willingness to perform administrative tasks with enthusiasm and attention to detail • An understanding of the importance of confidentiality Helpful skills: • Retreat or Conference Planning Experience • Familiarity with Salesforce, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Docs, Facebook, Twitter Dates and Hours: October, 2010 - End of May, 2011. 7-14 hrs/week.

Please send a resume, cover letter and available work hours mike@resourcegeneration.org by September 24th.

You are the average of your 5 closest colleagues

I once got a fortune cookie that said “you are the average of your 5 friends.” Shut your eyes and think for minute about your five closest friends. I’m guessing you have the wild college roommate who is now gallivanting across Europe and the other end of the spectrum is your Martha Stewart-like friend who homeschools her kids and bakes cookies for the troops. You are right in the middle.

I think this rule holds true for your professional colleagues as well. Who are the five people that you trust most professionally and are your sounding board for career moves? These include mentors and the person that you like to hang out with at work.  Keep it to just five and if you are having a hard time coming up with the five, it’s time to start focusing on building your professional network.

Thinking of your five closest colleagues, ask yourself the following questions:

Do you have people that you regularly spend time with that are doing the job that you would like to do in 3-5 years? 10-20 years?

Do those 5 people support your dreams and aspirations?

Do you have people in that list that you are mentoring?

Would you be comfortable asking everyone on this list to act as a reference for you?

Do you see any holes on this list?

What proactive steps could you take to fill those holes?