As we mark the 150th anniversary of confederation, The Philanthropist is profiling Canadians from across the non-profit sector and putting a face to 150 individuals who work or volunteer in Canada’s social sector.
Name: Dulaa Osman
Current role in the sector: Fund Development and Volunteer Coordinator at International Development and Relief Foundation
Years working and/or volunteering in the non-profit sector: Ten years.
What was your first job in the sector or a defining moment?
Among many defining moments working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector, one moment that I consider dear to my heart came when I joined the United Way Speakers Bureau. It allowed me to share my passion for public speaking at places such as BMO Bank, Toronto Transit Commission and TD Bank, and share how the United Way nurtured my potential and allowed a possibility to become a reality. One of the individuals that I shared my story with was Frank Techar, Vice-Chair BMO Financial Group, who gave me some tips on improving my speaking skills while also explaining how he had faced similar challenges to me growing up.
Describe your desk/workspace.
My workspace is filled with key dates pinned to my cubicle wall rest a laptop, tea mug and flyers ready to be given to our volunteers for our dignity walk happening on May 20, 2017.
What are you reading or following that has expanded your understanding of the non-profit sector?
The Twitter feeds that I follow to expand my knowledge of non-profit sector are AFP Inclusive Giving, Paul Nazareth, United Way TYR. I also follow Charity Village, Nonprofit Technology Network and Urban Institute.
What do you think our sector needs to be thinking about?
What matters to me is that we listen to the people on the ground as they are the ones who deal with the realities of the many situations within our industry and communities we work in. Our responses should be measured by evidence that has clear indicators, such as whether the situation is improving or is stagnant. I think the sector needs to start thinking about diversity and inclusion and organizations’ intentions around this issue as to how to best embed these values into their fabric with the understanding that it shouldn’t be something we use for tokenism, rather as a mechanism to enhance innovation and collaboration.
Do you know someone we should profile as part of this series? Email us at philanthropistprofiles@gmail.com
