The Social Change Career Podcast

Giselle Huamani: What a Changemaker is Made Of Growing up in a difficult period of Peruvian history, Giselle, like many of her generation, was deeply influenced by the country’s civil war. An energetic young lawyer she grew committed to changing and improving people’s lives. Giselle found her home learning and doing Conflict Resolution in the United States. She then became a well-known professional, not only for her academic credentials but her relentless commitment to working with communities and practicing the notion that as professionals, we are, but mere facilitators. Giselle carries this attitude today in her high-level job at Peru’s ombudsman’s Human Rights office. To learn about her stellar career in Conflict Resolution, Human Rights and community –driven projects listen to Episode 3 of The Social Change Career Podcast.   In this episode we discuss:   Growing up in 1960’s 1970s in Lima with military coups; the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) insurgency and subsequent civil war How she left in 1989 to study in the United States and how she returned to Peru 16 years How Giselle ask a young law student learned her first lesson in the field with a rural community and she realized how little she knew Combining raising 3 children, working and studying for her PhD The story of working with local youth gang and motherhood On getting consultancies while pursuing grad school How Giselle always volunteered in many projects that she deemed interesting from the beginning of her career How one of her strategies is simply relating and connecting to people Giselle’s recommendations for starting your career and accumulating practical experience The importance of networking people and programs Giselle tells the story of Scar’s program that connected practitioners, professors and programs The importance of being grounded in the field volunteering/service learning How she found employment on her return to Peru (after 16 years living overseas) How she worked in forestry, land and water issues in Bolivia and also in Peru Why Giselle recommends working at micro-level issues rather than only nationally-led processes In Peru she started working on water-related issues Her current work at the Ombudsman in Peru as Conflict Advisor for the whole nation doing Conflict Resolution work How the person in charge of the conflict office was a student of one of these programs that Giselle talked about she helped organized as she was a grad student Giselle’s best career advice Giselle’s take on failure 3 things that Giselle recommends to start a career of impact   Links School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (Scar) World Bank UN Mediation Peru Ombudsman Office   Related topics   Are you ready for the future of work? Please Join PCDN’s 2018 Career Series to learn about the future of work and how to best prepare you. Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career. Join PCDN and become a member to get our amazing daily Newsletter where you get everything you need to know and get ahead in your career of purpose.      

Born in the geographical center of the U.S. and quickly relocated in the suburbs of Washington D.C. Aaron’s grew influenced by all things political. From TV shows to political editorials, Aaron’s passion soon took expression in the form of political cartoons. But this bright young mind ended up traveling the world and working as an International Development officer. Learn how Aaron built a successful global career in International Development, how he found the field of peacebuilding and how he continues to express himself as a poignant political cartoonist in Episode 2 of Season 2 of The Social Change Career Podcast. In this episode we discuss: Aaron’s upbringing in the suburbs of Washington D.C. Aaron’s earlier influences on the civil rights movement as he watched on television as a child How Aaron learned to impersonate U.S. Presidents How he started doing political cartooning in high school How he ultimately chose International Development in college Aaron’s experience on Peace Corps in Mali as an agricultural extension agent Why Aaron chose International Development over political cartooning How Aaron broke into the field of International Development How Aaron worked in South Sudan and wished he had learned more about peacebuilding Aaron’s one of his best jobs ever before grad school Aaron’s experience in Harvard with his MPP (Masters in Public Policy) Aaron started in post-war El Salvador, got married and went back to West Africa How Aaron became a USAID foreign officer and then left for the private sector Aaron discovered anti-corruption work and stayed here for a few years Aaron’s frustration with technical solutions for political problems How Aaron found his current job at CRS (Catholic Relief Services) Aaron's learning about peacebuilding at CRS: the missing link Aaron’s advice to avoid falling in the trap of being a huge bureaucracy removed from the frontlines   The future of jobs in peacebuilding Aaron’s political cartooning passion Aaron’s best career advice Aaron’s take on failure Aarons 3 tips for career advancement and a short story And how “President” Trump hijacked the interview with Aaron and Catalina's biggest freak-out moment.  Links Follow Aaron on Instagram Aarons Blog University of Michigan American Association of Editorial Cartoonists Harvard University Peace Corps   Related topics   Check out our weekly blogposts and monthly webinar from the PCDNs Career Series. To take you from passion to hired! Stay tuned for the 2018 PCDN's Career Series.  Launching on February 15th. Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career. Go to facebook and join the group.

Born in an affluent household during Apartheid South Africa; Robi was always a free spirit who loved and rescued animals from an early age. Robi moved to Israel, raised her children and had a successful career in Public Relations. In 2002, a Palestinian sniper killed her son David. Robi soon joined The Parents Circle where she travels the world alongside Palestinian and Israeli bereaved families speaking about reconciliation and peace. Find out more about Robi’s career in Episode 1 of the Social Change Career Podcast.     In this episode we discuss:     Growing up in Apartheid South Africa as a privileged person in a liberal household Her lifelong passion for animals and how she stole a horse at the age of 5 How her uncle defended Nelson Mandela in the first treason trial The influence of the South African Truth & Reconciliation Commission (and how it prevented what could have been a terrible blood bath) How she came to Israel in 1967 Robi moved to Tel Aviv with her kids David and Eran Robi opened a PR office and did that for many years The knock on the door (when soldiers informed her of the death of her son David) How her life is her mission not work The importance of working on the ground for real insights How her PR work informed her work with The Parent Circle Remembering David as a Philosophy of Education Masters student How Robi found The Parents Circle to help prevent other families from experiencing this pain Find something that gives meaning to your life Robi’s first meeting with other bereaved Palestinian families and discovering the shared pain Robi’s work with The Parent Circle Robi in London with Tina Brown “Women in the World” Robi’s story of Bushra : a story of transformation from hatred Busha’s trip from a tiny Palestinian village to NYC and her love for hamburgers How Bushra and Robi spoke to 3,000 people in NYC, then Delhi, London and Canada spreading a message of reconciliation and peace Robi’s meeting with black bereaved mothers of police mothers in Atlanta Robi’s lunch with a mother of Sandy Hook and how she is preparing to speak with a mother of the Columbine massacre Robi’s next project Robi’s advice on how to be a meaningful academic Robi’s career advice Robi’s take on failure Three things for a career of social impact according to Robi   Links The Parents Circle Sandy Hook Joan B. Krock Institute for Peace and Justice Women in the World Georgetown University Encounter Point Another Side of Peace One Day After Peace Two-Sided Story   Related topics   Check out our weekly blogposts and monthly webinar from the PCDNs Career Series. To take you from passion to hired!   Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career.  

Identify Your Cause Born in Mombay, India from working class parents who never forced her to follow on Indias’ societal expectations of womenhood, Elsa Marie D’Silva literally grew wings and for two decades became a successful employee in the aviation industry. But she had to follow her passion and commitment to solving the epidemic of sexual violence against women and girls in public spaces. She founded and created Safecity, an app that is effectively, one dot at a time, reducing violence against women and girls in many countries. A Rotarian Peace and Vital Voices Fellow, (among others) Elsa’s work has been globally acclaimed. Find out more about Elsa Marie’s career and her successful and widely acclaimed app in Episode 6 of the Social Change Career Podcast.   In this episode we discuss:   On growing up with liberal Indian parents who never forced their expectations on her On being a strong women and flying solo: her two decade aviation career On how Elsa transitioned from private sector to the social change career working on women’s rights How Elsa learned about CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and technology to solve social problems in Sweden Elsa did a 6 month leadership program by the Rotary Peace Fellow where she learned about an Egyptian initiative: crowed mapping for sexual violence The 2012 incident of the death of a young Indian women that shook Elsa and the whole country of India Elsa decides to focus on safety and security for women and launched a crowed map with some friends How on 2013 Elsa combined her private work while developing SafeCity (her app) How she started Safecity and started seeing results The impact of Safecity in India and also in Kenya, Cameroon, Argentina, Nepal, Trinidad & Tobago and Nigeria. Elsa’s career advice on choosing your path On being open to change and people around you How Elsa uses the skills of her past career to make Safecity a success Elsa’s take on failure and how she is a perfectionist Three tips for starting your career on social impact     Links   Elsa Marie D’Silva Swedish Institute Management Program Asia Vital Voices Aspen New Voices Rotary Peace Fellowship  Chevening Gurukul Fellowship  U.S. State Department's Fortune Program SE Forum Outreach Accelerator Fast FWD Philadelphia Accelerator for Public Safety     Related topics   Check out our weekly blogposts and monthly webinar from the PCDNs Career Series. To take you from passion to hired!   Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career.   This episode was brought thanks to the Rotary Peace Center Are you an existing or emerging peace leader looking to take your career to the next level? You might be eligible to receive full funding to pursue a MA or professional certificate in peace & conflict studies. Learn more about Rotary Peace Fellowships at www.rotary.org/peace-fellowships    

Anne carries a Danish passport but considers herself a citizen of the world. Her father’s family escaped from Germany as the Nazis persecuted them for their pacifist’s beliefs. Her family moved to Norway to the countryside when she was 11. For college she attended an alternative three-year innovation management school that started her great journey combining entrepreneurship, technology solving complex social problems. A recipient of the Rotary Peace Fellowship, Anne today is the co-director of the “Re-Di School for Digital Integration” teaching refugees in Germany how to code. Find out more about Anne’s career in Episode 1 of Season 2 of the Social Change Career Podcast.   In this episode we discuss:   Annes’ family and how her personal history shaped her Moving to Norway and witnessing her parents changed careers Moving to Australia as an exchange student Attending (and loving) her three year vocational school Anne’s first job with Samsung doing CSR How she decided on her Masters in Peace funded by Rotary Peace Fellowship Traveling to Japan to learn social innovation in the Asian context Open Social Innovation as Ann’s topic for her Master’s Thesis Anne’s working in Silicon Valley with the Ideo community While at Stanford University how she got in touch with the Peace Lab The story behind the co-creation of “Redi” the school for digital integration teaching refugees digital/coding skills (fundamentals of programing) We need to stop talking about refugees and we need to start talking WITH refugees Mohamed’s story an Iraqi programmer How Anne connected the dots of linking refuges with digital skills with the German business in high demand for digital jobs Anne’s best career advice (thanks to Nike) Anne’s version of failure Three tops things to pursue a career of impact according to Anne Links Kaos Pilots Rotary Peace Fellowship Ideo Standford University Peace Lab “Redi” school of digital integration Hacking the refuge crisis- Tedex Berlin   Related topics   Check out our weekly blogposts and monthly webinar from the PCDNs Career Series. To take you from passion to hired! Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career.     This episode was brought thanks to the Rotary Peace Center: Are you an existing or emerging peace leader looking to take your career to the next level? You might be eligible to receive full funding to pursue a MA or professional certificate in peace & conflict studies. Learn more about Rotary Peace Fellowships.  

It was 1984 and Bosnia Herzegovina hosted the Winter Olympics. In just two weeks 13-year-old Miki taught himself English and German just by volunteering and meeting others in this global event. Little did he know that six years later, languages were going to save his life, as he had to survive Bosnia’s devastating warfare that made him a refugee in Austria. How does one go from a war refugee to one of the most prominent professionals in the conflict resolution field? Find out here in Episode 4 of the Social Change Career Podcast In this episode we discuss: Miki’s multicultural heritage and growing up in Bosnia-Herzegovina The 1983 Olympics and how Bosnia hosted the world The war and how he became a refugee in Austria How academics and big lectures bored him and how he turned to student activism/humanitarian work How he joined Search For Common Ground for Child Soldiers Reintegration Survival mode, serendipity, hard work and never being afraid of failureo How Miki met Ambassador Swanee Hunt and came to live in the U.S. Listening to mentors and why college made a difference for Miki Arriving to the U.S. with a backpack and how he met his wife Eva How he worked from dish washer, to driver and never stopped networking How and why he started his Masters program in 1996 His work at Inclusive Security (IS): 2 decades and over 30 different jobs in the same organization and never bored His biggest accomplishment with IS How failure shaped his career Miki’s career advice to your social change professionals   Links: World University Service Inclusive Security Search for Common Ground European Peace University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution PCDNetwork   Related topics:   Check out 2017 PCDNs Career Series weekly blogposts and monthly webinars.   Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career.    

Show notes for Episode 3 with Nick Martin: Never Stop Learning “I don’t think we can’t do it alone…especially when we are trying to solve really complex social problems. ”   A result of a professional weaver and a government official, Nick had a very refined and specific passion for 1890-1940s Modern Era poetry. Thinking he was going to be a poetry analyst, Nick later decided that we wanted to help others and work in social change through education. With a recent M.A. title from UPeace University in Costa Rica, Nick had to battle the 2008 economic recession. Unable to get a job, Nick and some of his friends took maters to their own hands and after identifying the huge opportunities between technology and social change created one of the most successful technology education companies: Techchange. Learn how Nick did this in Episode 3 of the Social Change Careers Network.   In this episode we discuss:   Nick’s love for poetry How he changed his focus from poetry to social change through education Nick’s Masters years (M.A. Education for Peace and Human Rights in UPeace Costa Rica) Nick’s family and early influences How Nick couldn’t find a job after completing his Masters degree How he taught himself to code and decided to start his own company Nick wanted to improve the quality of peacebuilding and development organizations websites On looking for employment during the 2008 economic recession How Nick saw a huge opportunity in the intersection of technology and social good How Techchange leverages the power of online learning for the international development community On taking alternative skills courses Nick’s story of Techchange early days and Techchange now Challenges for the future: the tension between scaling for sustainability and being a social business On the importance of teambuilding How Nick expanded his network when he started with Techchange Nick’s take on failure Nick’s three top things to have a career in social change Links: UPeace Costa Rica KhanAcademy Codeacademy Udacity Udemy Techchange   Related topics:   Check out PCDNs Career Series  with weekly blogposts and monthly webinar to kick start your career of social impact.   Need career advice? Need it now? Join the PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career.    

In this episode we discuss: Monica’s earlier influences: her supportive family, earlier international experiences and growing up in 2 cultures Monica’s college years and on being a nerd How she develop her work etiquette during college Her Master’s years and how she found her tribe How she thought policy was her way on making a difference Monica’s experience at the U.N. in the Geneva On hating her job and identifying her pain points How she started her own path of helping others and becoming an entrepreneur What helped Monica become a social entrepreneur How she discovered her WHY On Monica being a minority female business owner On why Monica recommends a business over an NGO Never limit your options Know your why to make better decisions and become a happier you What is InnovatorsBox and how it helps others On how you have unlimited potential to be creative The impact of having people being happy in their jobs Advice for women (and everyone else) that want to start their own business On never stop learning in various forms Best career she has received in her life Monica’s take on failure Monica’s top three impact on having a career of impact Links SAIS Johns Hopkins University InnovatorsBox United Nations   Related topics September in PCDNs Career Series is all about to go or not to Graduate School . Check out our weekly blogposts and monthly webinar. Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career.

In this episode we discuss:   Craig’s pretty normal and privileged upbringing in a typical U.S. suburb How Craig was affected by the threat of nuclear proliferation How he found his groove in social activism during the college years On listening to mentors, applying to a Fullbright Fellowship, learning languages and building NGOs Why and how he chose his PhD Balancing of work and school His burnout and failure moment On quitting an amazing job How he spent 10 years at Georgetown How and why he created PCDNetwork Craig’s transition from Georgetown to PCDN full time On making counterintuitive choices Lessons from his failures in how they inform his current work On his struggle with work-life balance Craig’s top tips to advance a career in social change Links Fulbright Fellowship Central European University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution PCDNetwork 1776 Related topics September in PCDNs Career Series is all about to go or not to Graduate School . Check out our weekly blogposts and monthly webinar. Need career advice? Need it now? Join PCDN Career Helping Line. Go ask your questions, help answer others and participate in fruitful discussion to advance your social change career. This podcast is possible thanks to the support of the Rotary Peace Fellowship