Purpose Driven Social Impact

“Purpose driven social impact is different… we need to rewrite the brief, reset our start points, and refresh the script. So what’s the big deal? Why do we need to rewrite the brief?” - Eugene Seow, Board Advisor, NVPC

At the 2024 TBNA Conference, Eugene Seow said that, “we need to change the way we change”, because, “the way we see the problem, is the problem”. The current aid model for poverty asks, “what is the problem?”, and then pours aid in. We are funding failures. We are funding repairs, and not the prevention of repairs - building more hospitals but not building the health of the community. We may go down the slippery slope of making a living off the poor.

If we view social impact through a purpose-driven lens, we start to recognise beneficiaries as mines bursting with potential, and problems as purpose yet to be fulfilled. By looking beyond what a person needs and identifying the value the person can offer, we can uplift them to a place where their gifts can be utilised effectively.

Why purpose? Because purpose is who we are, and why we are – the very reason for why we exist. Purpose drives us deeper to transformational change and takes us beyond the fruits of our external outcomes, to the root of our calling and core of who we are. Purpose empowers – this provides us with a more scalable and sustainable framework to build from. Scalability is not just about linear expansions, but scalability must be in terms of real empowerment and motivation. Sustainability is not just about the security of our supply chains, but is really about strong, supportive, purposeful relationships of shared values and purposes.

Purpose dignifies. It brings out the value in people, motivates from within, recognises identity, affirms meaning, and dignifies relationships. There can be no perfect plan or perfect match, but there can be a clear and enduring purpose.

Let's make our clients our volunteers, and our volunteers our clients. Clients shouldn’t just stay as receivers - bring them to a place where they can be givers. Volunteers are people with real needs (for recognition, appreciation, validation, purpose) - can their volunteer experience be a place of meaning and loving?

Social impact is the effect of the purpose. When your social impact is driven by purpose - you serve, not sell; you transform, not transact; you steward, not possess. Join the higher calling and elevate your social impact today.