The Social Change Career Podcast

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