Actual

Interview with the Institute teacher Irene van der Schaar, Master of Strategic Management, the Netherlands.

Irene: I am very happy to be in the position to be able to share my expertise on non-profit management to NGO-leaders and managers in the Ukraine, because I really believe it can help them in the challenging situation they are in. Teaching here brings together the two things I am really passionate about: non-profit sector and its valuable contribution to society and ongoing development of people, including myself, organizations and society as a whole.

 

Irene: I was impressed and touched by the spirituality of the people and the deep impact of recent history in the Ukraine and also in the University. It makes the development of the new generation and the non-profit sector so important and the Institute is really supporting the development of those groups on the level that they need, taking into account the situation they are in. Not simple but practical. The people of the Institute are very authentic in their hard effort to provide just exactly what is necessary to further develop the NGO leaders in their respected works.

 

Irene: I think the development of society is largely in the hands of NGOs and in the longer run the new generation as well. So the best investment to further develop the Ukraine civil society is to invest in the support and developments of NGOs. The better they are facilitated, equipped, developed, the stronger their impact on a positive development of civil society is. 

 

Irene: Non-profit sector as a whole can further professionalize in management, develop a more goal oriented, commercial way of thinking. Although making profit is not one of the goals, money is still a very important condition. And also in taking the right position: their capabilities to implement their valuable social goals in society are priceless, money by nature is not. So they can learn to be more self-confident and proud, also towards commercial businesses and the rest of society. Don’t look up to a sponsor or donor, but as a person, representing a NGO, stand side by side your sponsor and together look up to the valuable project that you can only implement together.

 I wish the Catholic University, the Institute of Leadership and Management and all the students of the program all the best in their important work.