Editorial – By Marco Crescenzi
At the age of 17-19, I embarked on my international career as a political activist by serving as the Student Government President of the left at Plauto High School in Rome during the Years of Lead in Italy.
In 1979, during my last year in school, an Israeli man who resembled a secret service agent visited the school. The Headmaster summoned me to have a private conversation with him. During the meeting, the man asked me to relocate to Israel, where the State would invest in my studies, and later, I would have the freedom to choose to work with them or anywhere I pleased. I turned down the offer as I preferred the Palestinians. However, the aggressive and international talent scouting left a lasting impression on me and served as inspiration for Social Change School’s talent-based recruitment strategy.
For two decades, I have been fighting against the notion of “Nonprofit: good people.” It is a prevalent and misguided belief that Nonprofit organizations welcome only good people, who have a service-oriented and humanitarian spirit but lack initiative and effectiveness in their actions.
The belief that we are here only to change the world and not to create employment is a flawed way of thinking. Contrary to this, we do create employment in significant numbers. As I wrote in one of my recent articles in a famous Italian newspaper, “mala tempora currunt.”
This is why I created the Social Talent Scholaship Programme
The Social Talent Scholarship Programme is the School’s fundamental cultural strategy to provide the best young people globally with space, training, and preparation for international careers. For years, we have been fighting a battle to attract the best talent who dedicate their lives to careers they are not suited for and post-graduate studies that are purely theoretical due to a lack of knowledge about Nonprofit. In partnership with young leaders – primarily AIESEC – we are searching for people under 30 who are political, cultural, and environmental activists. We also seek former African refugees who have become social workers and valuable people in universities even before they earn their degrees.
The ideal candidate has a great international propensity, excellent English proficiency, and proficiency in at least one other language, volunteering experience, determination, an open mind, ambitious goals, and a humble spirit. We seek individuals who do not just desire a career for themselves (“I want…”) but also aspire to serve others (“I want to give…”). Dreamers, but practical ones.
To qualify for the Talent Program, candidates must attend a one-hour interview, during which we conduct a personal SWOT analysis, focusing on their social and international profiles, work experience, motivation, professional dreams, strengths, weaknesses, and potential obstacles in a real coaching path. Interviewees leave the meeting satisfied, and I find these interviews to be a primary source of satisfaction for myself: it is a wonderful feeling for me and the Social Change School staff to be surrounded by such generous students with bright eyes and hearts. Witnessing all the wonderful things they do in their countries and the world after completing the Master’s program reminds us of the significance of what we do.
Are you interested in the Social Talent Scholaship Programme? Book your Interview!