At the heart of every non-profit organisation is a vision driven by purpose, rather than dollars. As President of the Red Cross UTS branch, it’s always a privilege to foster change, build community, and make a meaningful impact for those who need it most. But sometimes, purpose alone isn’t enough. As we confront increasingly complex challenges, the barriers continue to mount—and at times, the impact we strive for falls short.
Perhaps, the most ironic issue we face: volunteering often comes with a cost.
Many volunteers are shocked to learn that most large-scale volunteer projects require a fee to participate. These contribute to behind the scenes costs like equipment, organising staff, and venue hires. However, for many, the idea of "paying to volunteer" feels difficult to justify, and we don’t blame them. While we remain committed to offering free opportunities to our members, limited funding restricts what we can do and significantly narrows our impact.
Fundraising raises a similar dilemma. Raising money for important causes is central to non-profits like the Red Cross, and opens the doors for initiatives and opportunities which weren’t possible before. But for students in a cost of living crisis, that extra expense can feel impossible. Even a small financial contribution can feel out of the question. The countless UTS students volunteering on and off campus is proof that they care, they want to get involved, give back, and make a difference. But when times are tough, their ability to do so is limited.
Beyond the financial difficulties, making your voice heard can be challenging in the collaborative environment of humanitarian action. The most significant change comes from when nonprofits work together, especially when addressing complex and urgent humanitarian needs. However, different perspectives, principles, and objectives often need to be navigated before we can reach that point. Avoiding conflict in these discussions, while making sure our own organisation’s voice is heard, is a difficult balance to achieve when planning collaborative projects.
What sets student-led nonprofits apart? We’re trying to lead, organise, and build all while being full-time students ourselves. Students' schedules are packed with jobs, classes, assessments, and personal commitments. Add in meetings and planning sessions, and it’s easy to see why ambitious ideas can be hard to bring to life. Complex humanitarian challenges require well-thought-out, carefully planned initiatives—but sometimes, the time and energy simply aren’t there.
In the world of humanitarian action, it often feels like all possible obstacles are stacked against us. And while purpose isn’t enough to overcome them, it is the reason why we keep moving forward. Through every hopeful smile and act of service we are reminded of why the work of nonprofits is so important. In a world that can feel too overwhelming to impact, these small moments of perseverance make a difference.
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