The People of Purpose Network (popn) turns the solution to Parramatta's social problems upside down by empowering and supporting the people who work to solve social problems: charity workers, social entrepreneurs, public servants and others working in for-purpose organisations.
What do you think we need to do to solve social problems like youth unemployment, homelessness and domestic violence?
Traditionally, we have focused on increasing funding and developing new community programs as a way of fixing society's ills, without investing in the people who deliver these programs. And in doing so, we have missed a vital piece of the puzzle!
Low wages, inadequate professional development and limited career prospects have a significant impact on the ability of for-purpose organisations to attract and retain skilled and motivated staff. This directly impacts the quality of services they offer, with flow-on effects to people and communities accessing these services.
This makes no sense: people working in for-purpose organisations are devoted and passionate - exactly the type of employees every organisation wants! Why do we make it so hard for them to survive and thrive? Empowered and supported, they could achieve so much for our community.
This is where popn comes in.
popn's vision is a for-purpose workforce that is skilled and motivated to achieve positive outcomes for people and communities.
popn's mission is to support talented people to make a career in for-purpose organisations by offering them networking and learning events.
popn is about getting back to basics: people meeting people, talking and supporting each other. It is not high-tech or trendy, but it is essential.
Starting with a pilot in Parramatta, popn is low-cost and scalable: it could go national!
The pilot will focus on recruiting members to popn Parramatta. Membership will give people access to:
- Quarterly networking and learning events: members can meet each other, share their experiences and learn something new.
- Resources and networks via the popn website: we will develop a platform for members to share information and ideas.
- Advocacy support: as popn grows and better understands its members, we will collaboratively and strategically advocate for the needs of staff in for-purpose organisations.
Here is a mock-up of what the resources page on the popn website will look like:
How you can help
popn is based on people power, so the best way you can help is to become a member!
If you’re not working in a for-purpose organisation, we still need your help to get popn started. Come along to our launch party or, if you're really serious about helping us test this idea, become a partner.
Take a look at the "Rewards" column on the right (or below if you are reading this on a mobile) to select the contribution you’d like to make and please share the word with any of your friends or colleagues who may be interested!
This is me, the founder of popn! My name is Christina and I have inherited my mother's inability to keep her eyes open for photos...
I've been working in the community sectors for 7 years, specialising in social impact measurement, research, business development and communications.
I know how hard and isolating working in for-purpose organisations can be: I've worked with amazing people who look for new jobs every three years, when government funding for their program runs out, or who have left because they (understandably) want a more secure job and a more stable career path.
Those of us who stay can only keep going because we love our clients and our community and we’re passionate about the causes we work for. But we also know how much more we could achieve if we were better supported. That’s why I launched popn.
popn is personal for me. I am a for-purpose professional, but I also have strong ties to Western Sydney. I was born and raised in Greystanes, went to school in Parramatta and am now raising my family in Northmead. I am committed to making the City of Parramatta a vibrant and positive place for people to live and work. popn could do this in a unique way.
