Volunteering = Learning

I am Patrick Adriel H. Aure, a graduate of De La Salle University with the degree BS in Applied Corporate Management.  I am aspiring to utilize business, education, research, and writing as vehicles towards social progress – be it about pursuing social enterprises, advocating CSR to students, researching topics, or just writing about socially relevant issues through my blog (http://www.patchaure.com).  I hope my CSR Story can inspire people to take risks and see that there is always an opportunity to satisfy the need and want to give back to society, while earning money through business.

The over-arching reasons behind my motivations to volunteer can be summarized with one word: to learn.  I wanted to learn about social entrepreneurship and CSR.

To narrate, one of my course requirements was to undertake internships under three different companies or organizations, with the duration of at least 3 months each (equivalent of one full-term in DLSU).  I have done internships under Unilever Philippines under brand building, Visayan Forum Foundation (VF), and the Benita &Catalino Yap Foundation (BCYF).  My aim as well was to synthesize the seemingly focused for-profit intentions of multi-national corporations with the focused non-profit intentions of two different not-for-profit institutions.  I believe this immersion was the true key to experience firsthand the essence of social entrepreneurship, the latter which aims to balance pursuing financial and social bottom-lines.  I am fortunate that not only did I learn, but I was able to contribute to the organizations and society in my own little ways.

As a volunteer / intern for VF and BCYF, my roles revolved on practicing business skills to achieve socially-relevant solutions. 

In VF, I was part of the planning team which desired to jumpstart social business enterprises for the benefit of human trafficking survivors.  Thus, I was involved with brand design planning, strategic initiatives, and infusing business-perspectives to a dominantly not-for-profit point of view organization.  Under VF, I stayed for approximately 4 months full-time, under the guidance of my friend and mentor, Ponce Samaniego.  Both coming from business backgrounds, we felt excited and challenged by the fact that we needed to balance business with non-profit perspectives to achieve goals we want.

Under BCYF, I functioned as the Foundation’s Chief Information Officer, a role I reluctantly accepted due to the gravity of the title and the responsibilities bestowed upon me as an intern.  A true rollercoaster ride, I summoned relentless drive to learn and implement building the Foundation’s first website despite it not being my primary expertise, and to capitalize on my talent for creative and formal writing to form produce communications paraphernalia.  I spearheaded the Foundation’s Social Media Workshop for CSR Practitioners last January 7, 2013, held at De La Salle University.  Under the tutelage of Mr. Antonio Yap, the Foundation’s Chairman, I was exposed on how a retired business professional used business and entrepreneurial mindsets in creating opportunities through the marriage of his schools, the Foundation, and the business background he had.  My eyes were opened on different opportunities to find the sweet spot between industries and transform them into possible innovations to solve social problems.

My internships and volunteerism helped me find possible career paths that satisfy the need for financial and social well-being.  My message to fellow volunteers is that volunteerism need not be extreme martyrdom; there is always an innovative solution so that one may build dreams in society while not necessarily forsaking dreams of good houses and sustaining one’s family.  Let us remember that society includes us; therefore, to truly help society, there must be shared value between the volunteer and the society he or she serves.  The important thing is to never lose sight of one’s purpose and higher-self ambitions in life.

Disclaimer: This story was given to the foundation by its author as his contribution to CSR Stories