More than half of our team consists of newcomers. We learned the most from them. They can often provide new and clear insight into issues we struggle with.
Such as the importance of intrinsic motivation, working from your own drive and ambition. Anyone who has had a hard time themselves knows that you do not motivate people by emphasizing the importance of a job from responsibilities to the system or society. What does help is just starting with something you like and find meaningful, or in a place you enjoy and are seen. Working on something that drives you. That is often the key to success. And when things get better again, maybe you can talk about other things and take another step.
That is the reason why we take the time to get to know someone extensively. To learn what their dreams and ambitions are; how they view volunteering and a paid job; how much they want and can work; what their home situation looks like. What really moves, drives and motivates them. This introduction starts with the intake and is further deepened during the guidance we offer in the traineeship. During the monthly workshops, we facilitate that newbies can also discuss this together, learn from each other and motivate each other.
Not just matches, but matches that matter
That’s why we don’t focus on making as many matches as possible. If you do that, you start to think too much in numbers and targets, in short-term goals. You increase the risk of placing people, just for the sake of placing, without contributing to their own goals. In the short term, you may have a match, but in the long term, you have hardly made an impact. A match should be a positive experience that people learn from and that improves their lives and that of their families. Also, in the long term. That is why we have stopped giving only numerical targets to our team. Quality, and thus making a sustainable impact, wins over quantity for us. Because in the end it’s not just about matches, but about matches that matter. About people.
