The Nature of Non-Profit
Dave Belyea // September 29, 2011
Growing up in New Brunswick, nature played a vital role in my childhood. I spent entire evenings exploring the backyard, had day-long adventures trudging through the forest surrounding my camp; some of my most memorable experiences took place in those natural landscapes. These included getting lost countless times while learning how to navigate in the wilderness by compass, as well as building – and falling out of – my first tree house.
When I had the opportunity to work as a co-op student for Nova Scotia Nature Trust (NSNT) during the summer months of 2011, I was thrilled to join their team. The Nature Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to land and wildlife conservation, and sustainability across the province. NSNT’s interests range from nationally endangered species to spectacular coastal properties. Though the company is relatively small with only 12 employees (three of which were summer students), their accomplishments are impressive. NSNT have conserved over 6,000 acres of land in Nova Scotia by means of conservation easements, donations, and planned gifts.
Admittedly, I didn’t quite know what to expect with my first co-op experience. I was supportive of environmentally friendly initiatives, as many members of Nova Scotia’s population are today. However, protecting land and wildlife weren’t issues I had given a particularly large amount of thought. However, in the following months, working for NSNT began to have a profound personal and professional influence on me. Not only did I begin to realize how important NSNT’s goals truly are, but also the many challenges non-profit organizations face from a public relations standpoint.
Through NSNT, I discovered creative ways of acquiring funding, of raising awareness and establishing our presence in Nova Scotia. The Nature Trust is a fast-paced environment that trusted me to work independently on major events and projects. My supervisor provided constant support, lending confidence to my interactions with the organization’s stakeholders, my personal judgment, and my writing abilities.
My position as Public Relations & Office Assistant at NSNT was a job I thoroughly enjoyed. The events I was involved with and the wonderful co-workers I had the pleasure of working alongside made my co-op fulfilling and memorable. My main responsibilities consisted of planning and organizing summer events including fundraisers, property celebrations, donor events and field trips. I prepared press releases, media advisories, PSAs, media kits, and articles for newsletter and social media updates.
The most exciting projects for me are those that allow me to see direct results. Being heavily involved in the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge at the 2011 Blue Nose Marathon and co-ordinating a property celebration in Cape Breton were great projects for this reason.
My duties for the Blue Nose Marathon included writing weekly newsletters to volunteer runners, preparing kits for our participants in the marathon as well as writing and distributing press releases and media advisories to local newspapers, television and radio stations. During the Youth Marathon I also dressed up as one of the organization’s mascots, the nationally-endangered Blanding’s turtle and handed out Nature Trust promotional materials.
I was also involved with planning the logistics and promotions for the Cape Breton Conservation Celebration and Success Showcase held in Baddeck on August 11. The event was a property announcement of NSNTs newest conservation lands in the Mabou Highlands, and a look at the recent accomplishments the Nature Trust had achieved in the Cape Breton region. My duties included finding an appropriate venue and catering, along with contacting media to arrange interviews and cover the event, making this another incredible experience to be part of.
Overall, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust was a great placement for my first professional experience in the field of public relations. Providing me with the necessary skills to gain valuable knowledge of the non-profit sector, my abilities in event planning and writing have drastically improved. I would highly recommend the rewarding experience of working with a non-profit organization to all public relations students that have the opportunity.
