Social Work—Hobby or career?

‘Get a real job’ was the most common suggestion I would get back in 2011, when I had just started my not-for-profit and wanted to work for community development. Those were tough times; when people starting social work projects were not taken seriously and deemed as ‘doing time-pass’. Looking back, I have to thank my naïve optimism for having kept me going. I just knew that I loved the work I was doing, and I would figure out a way to make it work.Are you also someone who loves to help people? A non-governmental organization) is a not-for-profit organization, with the objective of benefiting the community. Charity and community development has long been a part of Indian culture and forming/registering an NGO gives it a legal identity and help others to be a part of the cause.So, coming to the real question, can social work be a real career?And well, the answer is yes!.We have come a long way in bringing professionalism to the social sector. There are many ways in which you can choose to approach social work, some of which have been listed below:1. Working for a national/international NGOThere are over a million NGOs in India, and many have openings for various profiles and roles. Explore the kind of work you would like to do and the cause that you relate to. In case you were not aware, Chinmaya Mission also has a social development arm called CORD (Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development).2. Exploring Social EntrepreneurshipYou may also choose to start an organization/project of your own and be an entrepreneur, in this case referred to as a social entrepreneur. Starting and running an NGO is similar to running a business. You can be paid to be an Executive Trustee, but you have to do your own marketing and get in the funds. Similarly, building and sustaining your team is your responsibility but if you are passionate about the cause and have a vision, go for it! There are many inspiring social enterprises which you can study for your reference, for example Amul, Lijjat, Manndeshi, Barefoot Collect, Jaipur Rugs, Arvind eyecare and the likes.3. Working for Corporate Social Responsibility.India is amongst the first few nations to have a mandatory CSR Policy, which makes it compulsory for organizations, which fall in the purview of the law, to donate 2% of their profits to charity. Many of these companies have started their own foundations and conduct their own social development projects. You can choose to work with these companies or their foundations. 4. FellowshipThere are many fellowships that support you financially while you bring about developmental change within the community. Though this is a time-bound commitment, it may help you get started.5. Working for supporting organisationsThe not-for-profit sector is supported by many ancillary organizations. If you are not interested in working directly with people, you may also choose to work with an incubation centre that incubates social impact projects. There are many consulting organizations that work with NGOs too..Regardless of which path you choose, remember that you have to be equally committed and professional as you would be if you were working for any other job. The work requires utmost dedication and sincerity. If open to learning, it can offer the deepest of life lessons in the most practical manner and potentially change you.Having said that, you can obviously pursue social development work as a hobby and volunteer your time and efforts. Various volunteering opportunities can be found on www.ivolunteer.org.