Experiences, memories and feelings of those who, thanks to the Social Change School’s Master, have changed their own life and the one of others, working with the NGOs.
Daniela Buresta, attended the Master FRAME in Fundraising Management in the NGOs Business Administration, Marketing, Communication, Social Media, Campaigns, edition December 2015, thanks to which she could turn her dream into reality, by putting into practice her Project Work developed during the Master experience and contributing to protect hundreds of stray dogs with the association Amici di Birillo Onlus. Let’s read her story…
The Master experience and Daniela’s dream
“I love animals, I grew up with them. In my letters to Santa Claus, I was always talking about ponies, horses and unicorns and I even took care of a Lessie- just like the one in the movies – after someone had abandoned her just in front of my house when I was 10 years old.
I am an empathetic person, or at least, this is what people often tell me. I believe that animals taught me how to be like that. They taught me how to interpret and to feel other people’s emotions, also when they are expressed with a communicative code that is different from our own.
In 2016, I ended the Master in Fundraising Management with the Social Change School. I still remember the admission interview, and I remember my determination in front of the question: “What would you like to do after the Master?” my answer was “Campaigns and Fundraising!”.
I knew that this path would have given me the right tools for turning the dream into reality, when I presented my personal project during the final exam I did not imagine that within a few months the first steps could already be taken, as has happened instead.
I hoped so, of course, but I was not sure that such a small reality could be so courageous to welcome some of my proposals, but it happened. Yes, courage is the right word. The courage to challenge each of our own possibilities for saving just one more dog, the courage to pursue paths that can bring to a better result, the courage to make choices and take up risks.”
Amici di Birillo Onlus’ commitment
“The association is Amici di Birillo Onlus, born 10 years ago and as a formally constituted association since 2010, working in the Municipality of Aprilia for protecting all those animals who have lost every point of reference, providing them with food, care and love. Birillo was one of them when he was picked up from the road and put in a safe place. The security of a home, that of Antonietta, who since then, has not separate from him. He was a Pitbull, also quite old: one of those dogs then considered dangerous, he could turn around all the preconceptions on breeds!
Many volunteers allow to ensure to all the guests of the kennel and to the many abandoned animals in the territory (stray dogs and cats, feline colonies and those dogs who live somewhere but with no owners), a space of visibility and above all, a new life through a responsible adoption in family. Taking care of animals means to do an important job in terms of raising awareness and it represents a challenge in a country like Italy, where animals are always at the bottom of the priority list, in a region -Lazio- which is at the third place for the number of kennels. Innocent prisoners in a place that does not respect their ethological needs. It is clear then, that enduring the wellbeing of the animals in a kennel, is fundamental for not compromising the possibility of their introduction within a family.”
After the Social Change School Master
“I started my volunteering activity in a kennel the past December. I found a group of unstoppable volunteers, passionate people, very practical and with lots of ideas to be turned into reality. But they also need sustainability. Now, the association received funding through donations, 5 per thousand, and above all, in-kind donations at the kennel and with scheduled days of food collection. It is necessary to adopt a growth strategy: amplifying the donors’ basin and reinforcing the relationship with those who already support the work of the association.
In this scope, we have started to implement some fundraising activities. First of all, we have launched an yearly fund campaign, through the membership of the supporters. With a personalised membership, each donor can contribute to realize Amici di Birillo’s mission and has access to many advantages thanks to a network of conventions. Two levels of membership, allow both adults and children taking part to a change process, firstly cultural. A process of awareness on prevention of straying and aware adoption, that focuses on the adoptive family and on the donors.
Moreover, for the first time, a real 5 per thousand campaign has been structured, it is now the most important budget invoice. We have target focused communication materials: a sticker for making viral the request of 5 per thousand, distributed at events and in kennels to the potential individual donors, we have also sent specific kits to accountants of the reference territory, containing a letter, flyers of different format and a sticker.
We have tested new typologies of events, beside the fixed appointments, fundamental since they give us the concrete possibility of carrying out activities of awareness and of engaging people and asking them of taking a direct action: by donating, becoming a volunteer, adopting one amongst the hundred dogs that we take care of each year.
Nearly 400 only in 2016: an important and encouraging number, that shows the commitment that we put into our volunteering work, and much more, the growing attention that people dedicate to our friendly animals. Because this remains our real objective: ensuring to each abandoned animal, dignity, warmth and above all a family!”
Daniela had the courage of believing in her dreams, thanks to the Master experience she was able to make them come true! And you, what are you waiting for?
Do you want to work in the NGOs? Apply now and request the Admission and Professional Potential Evaluation Interview, one hour of in-depth dialogue with the managers and HRM of our partner NGOs!
