Contributing Members of Society

Many non-profit agencies struggle with understanding outcomes and how to implement them within their own agencies. Sometimes, agencies look to other agencies or consultants to develop their outcomes for them. This can be more harmful than helpful, but I won't get into that discussion at this time. Instead, I want you to think about how you would like each of your client's to be as a result of using your services or programs.

When I founded my own agency to deal with the growing homeless crisis, I began the agency with one sole purpose - to get as many of our clients contributing to society. If anyone has read Victor Frankl's, "Man's Search for Meaning", you will know that Frankl believed that people who have a purpose or a meaning to their lives will then overcome and deal with many barriers that life has to offer. He created his own therapy called, logotherapy. This therapy was developed based upon his observations as a prisoner in one of the concentration camps during World War II. Victor Frankl's theories have framed how I believe people are motivated. When I developed the term "contributing member of society", it was to reflect his theory that when people are contributing in some way, they feel greater purpose or meaning in their lives.

If everone were to have some kind of purpose or meaning in life, then I think we would find or create a very different type of society. As I worked more and more with the homeless and later with the mentally and phsically challenged, the elderly, and the First Nations, I found that society tended to think pouring money into the various groups that were not currently contributing to society was the best solution. Give them money and let them survive, but I think this deprives individuals of the ability to discover their own purpose or meaning and consequently move from just surviving to thriving. If we could provide or create more opportunities for more people to "contribute to society", we would be giving populations a chance to feel a purpose or develop some meaning within society.

Therefore, if you are still struggling with outcomes, then think about finding ways to have more of your clients become contributing members of society. That may be your most powerful outcome.

Something to think about...

posted by Brenda Northey @ 1:48 PM