When community-based counselling service Home & Family Counselling approached us at the start of the year, we could not pass up the opportunity to assist. While we had made cash donations to support not-for-profits in the past, this time, we provided Home & Family Counselling recruitment services, completely free of charge. Our Auckland-based Consultant Mandy Mella took on the job, and for two weeks she worked alongside the not-for-profit to find them a permanent staff member for their part-time online fundraiser role.

Mandy admits that as a Madison Consultant accustomed to recruiting for the business support sector, recruiting for a not-for-profit was rare and brought with it its fair share of surprises, challenges and opportunities. Even from as early as the initial visit to meet Home & Family Counselling, Mandy was instantly struck by the passion of those working at the tight-knit organisation, despite limited resources. She describes the not-for-profit as being extremely gracious and quick to respond, and says that she was able to develop a pleasant and personal relationship with them.

While Mandy had anticipated the challenge of recruiting for a position that offered only a few hours each week, she says that it was encouraging to see how many people were applying for the role, not for the sake of finding employment, but because they were genuinely interested in the work that Home & Family Counselling did. Having the opportunity to meet such high calibre candidates in an industry that she doesn't usually recruit for was refreshing.

On a personal level, Mandy says that she found that recruiting for Home & Family Counselling offered her the opportunity to learn more about the not-for-profit sector and how not-for-profits operate. She suggests that the exposure that recruitment companies can offer may indirectly raise awareness for not-for-profits, as well as help them to attract ideal employees for their organisation.

To find out more about Home & Family Counselling, go to: http://www.homeandfamily.org.nz/