Careers for the Common Good

What is a Career for the Common Good?

Careers for the Common Good (CCG) are socially responsible vocations, whose results benefit the greater good of society. Careers for the common good generally occur in the nonprofit and government sectors and tend to include an individuals personal core values. The CCG program at the University of Connecticut, a collaboration between Career Services, the Office of Community Outreach and the Human Rights Institute, provides resources and encourages students to explore career paths that positively affect the community and society at large. CCG includes an extensive web resource list that is separated into five categories: Post-Graduate Experiences, Career & Job, Graduate School, Professional Development and Civic Engagement.

Program	Post Graduate	Career/Job	Graduate School	Professional Development	Civic Organizations
American Red Cross In addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs. http://www.redcross.org
Amnesty International USA USA branch of Amnesty International http://www.amnestyusa.org
Campus Compact Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 950 college and university presidents - representing some 5 million students - dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education. The website provides: links, resources and job listings in service related fields. http://www.compact.org
Care2 Care2.com is the largest online community for people who want to make a difference. If you care about health, human rights and protecting the environment, and if you believe individuals have the power to change the world, you're going to love Care2. You can learn from, and meet, amazing people here. You'll discover wonderful organizations working on the front lines. Site includes Job and News connections. http://www.care2.com
Case Foundation Jean and Steve Case founded the Case Foundation in 1997 to reflect their family's heartfelt commitment to finding lasting solutions to complex social challenges. The foundation is applying strategies to: meet the needs of underserved children and families; create thriving and sustainable economic development for communities; bridge cultural and religious divides; expand civic engagement and volunteerism; and accelerate innovative approaches to health care. http://www.casefoundation.org
Center for Community Change The Center, founded in 1968, grew out of a powerful combination of ideas and events in the 1960s. Many important partners, including the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Fund, the Ford Foundation, and leaders of the United Auto Workers, made the Center for Community Change a reality. From the very beginning, the Center’s purpose has been to help establish and develop community organizations across the country, “bring attention to major national issues related to poverty,” and “help insure that government programs are responsive to community needs.” http://www.communitychange.org
Eisenhower Foundation, The The Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation is the international, nonprofit continuation of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Riot Commission, after the big city riots of the 1960s) and the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (the National Violence Commission, after the assassinations of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy). We identify, fund, evaluate, build the capacities of and replicate multiple solution ventures for the inner city, the truly disadvantaged, children, youth and families. Through national policy reports, the Foundation communicates what works (and what doesn't) to citizens, media and decision makers. http://www.eisenhowerfoundation.org
FirstGov.gov On FirstGov.gov, you can search millions of web pages from federal and state governments, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. Most of these pages are not available on commercial websites. FirstGov has the most comprehensive search of government anywhere on the Internet. We are working with agencies to encourage portals organized around customer groups and topics, instead of agency names. Examples of cross-agency portals include: students, people with disabilities and exporters. http://www.firstgov.gov
Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all. http://www.hrc.org
Idealist Action Without Borders connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. Action Without Borders is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Idealist.org includes: job, volunteer and internship search engines; opportunities to join online communities and participate in online message boards; resources for volunteering, careers and nonprofits; information about graduate school fairs, non profit fairs and international service opportunities. Also has an Idealist on Campus resources connecting students and administrators on college campuses. http://www.idealist.org
Local Initiatives Support Corporation LISC helps resident-led, community-based development organizations transform distressed communities and neighborhoods into healthy ones – good places to live, do business, work and raise families. By providing capital, technical expertise, training and information, LISC supports the development of local leadership and the creation of affordable housing, commercial, industrial and community facilities, businesses and jobs. We help neighbors build communities. http://www.lisc.org
Moving Ideas A dividion of Care2, Moving Ideas is an online resource to staying engaged in the democratic society. Moving ideas provides links, job resources and community opportunities. It also provides news updates and ways to take action on issues. http://www.movingideas.org
Natoinal Conference of State Legislatures NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues. http://www.ncsl.org
OMB Watch OMB Watch is a nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting government accountability, citizen participation in public policy decisions, and the use of fiscal and regulatory policy to serve the public interest. http://www.ombwatch.org
Public Citizen Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts. http://www.citizen.org
Raise Your Voice Campaign Welcome to the Raise Your Voice Campaign, an initiative of Campus Compact that has connected over 300,000 students across the country on over 450 campuses to support student civic engagement and address public issues crucial to our democracy. This site is dedicated to connecting, challenging, and supporting college and university students in community work, activism, leadership, and civic growth. Here you will find practical information, ideas, and resources, as well as a forum for sharing ideas. This campaign has a clear message: Change starts with you. Act today to create the world you want to live in tomorrow. http://www.actionforchange.org
SERVEnet SERVEnet.org is the premier website on service and volunteering. Through SERVEnet, users can enter their zip code, city, state, skills, interests, and availability and be matched with organizations needing help. SERVEnet is also a place to search for calendar events, job openings, service news, recommended books, and best practices. YSA's commitment to America's Promise is to have volunteer opportunities on SERVEnet for every zip code in America. http://www.servenet.org
State PIRG's The state Public Interest Research Groups are a network of independent, state-based, citizen-funded organizations that advocate for the public interest. Since 1970, we have been delivering results-oriented citizen activism to protect our environment, encourage a fair and sustainable economy, and foster a responsive democratic government. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposes, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. http://www.pirg.org
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research AEI is a private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics, and social welfare. Founded in 1943, AEI is home to some of America's most accomplished public policy experts--from economics, law, political science, defense and foreign policy studies, ethics, theology, medicine, and other fields. The Institute sponsors research and conferences and publishes books, monographs, and periodicals. Its website, www.aei.org, posts its publications, videos and transcripts of its conferences, biographies of its scholars and fellows, and schedules of upcoming events. http://www.aei.org
The Aspen Institute Our core mission is to foster enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue. Through seminars, policy programs, conferences and leadership development initiatives, the Institute and its international partners seek to promote nonpartisan inquiry and an appreciation for timeless values. We help people become more enlightened in their work and enriched in their lives. Together we can learn one of the keys to being successful in business, leadership and life: balancing conflicting values in order to find common ground with our fellow citizens while remaining true to basic ideals. http://www.aspeninstitute.org
United Way Mission: To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. Vision: We will build a stronger America by mobilizing our communities to improve people’s lives. To do this we will: Energize and inspire people to make a difference; Craft human care agendas within and across our communities; Build coalitions around these agendas; Increase investments in these agendas by expanding and diversifying our own development efforts and supporting those of others; Measure, communicate, and learn from the impact of our efforts; and Reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. http://www.national.unitedway.org
Venture Consortium The Venture Consortium, a group of selective, private liberal arts colleges and universities, is dedicated to the development of innovative programs to complement the liberal arts curriculum. Includes: Exploring Options is an interactive website that can help you connect your interests with some of the many opportunities available. The Engaged Life Listserv is a weekly digest that highlights some of the many job/internship leads, events, articles, fellowships, and other opportunities that can allow you to reflect on and act on your convictions. Public Interest Work Resource Guide is a printable guide that contains books, listservs/websites, and events that can help you find opportunities in socially responsible work. http://www.theventureconsortium.org
Voices for National Service To support the growth and development of AmeriCorps and national service by mobilizing the field to educate our nation’s leaders and the American public about the power and impact of national service. Includes link to Youth Policy Action Center. http://www.voicesforservice.org