What is an NGO?

by Apathy Is Boring Volunteer Kristen Brewer — April 15, 2008

NGO – three letters you might have seen tossed around that seem to be doing something, but what? NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organisation, which means a non-profit group or association that acts outside of institutionalised political structures. In other words, it is an organisation with a set of goals – usually aiming for change or protection of some social, cultural, legal or environmental issue – that is not intended to make commercial profit, and is not part of a political party or government program (though some NGOs may work closely with political parties or may receive funding from governments).

Due to the diversity of their goals, NGOs can be found operating at a variety of levels, from community groups looking to preserve a wetland to organisations that operate on a global scale such as Greenpeace, UNICEF, or Red Cross/Red Crescent. International NGOs are important in the world today because there are many problems that can’t be solved within a nation, or are overlooked by international treaties. Local or national scale NGOs are important because they are often able to represent interests of citizens that otherwise might not have a voice in a discussion with government and corporate groups. NGOs are often members of larger umbrella organisations, which give them a stronger voice at international conferences.

NGOs typically receive their operating budget through a mix of funding from private groups, government grants, corporations, and their own fundraising efforts. NGOs often rely heavily on volunteers and fundraising activities, which makes them happy to accept helping hands. Getting involved with an NGO is a great way to find out more about your political and social beliefs and meet people interested in the same issues, and can be good experience for future work or other projects.

NGOs can be divided into several categories based on their goals and activities. For larger NGOs, a basic distinction can typically be made between advisory and advocacy groups. Advocacy NGOs are generally the groups you see out protesting certain issues – they work to raise awareness among the public, corporations, and the government. Common tactics include petitions, protests, websites, distribution of information through the media, and large-scale activities (think Greenpeace boats) designed to gain media and public attention for a certain issue. Advisory groups are often more directly involved with advising governments or corporations, and may get involved with research activities, legal representation, hold conferences, or a variety of other activities.

Many NGOs are not exclusively advisory or advocacy groups, and do not fit into one single category. There are a huge number of operating organisations of various sizes that cover almost every political and philosophical position on a variety of topics – so if you want to get involved with a cause, there is most likely an NGO that would be happy to provide information or accept a volunteer.

Whether you want to be out in the thick of a protest to save trees, raising awareness of human rights infractions, or petitioning your local representative, there is a place for you to make your voice heard. Youth are increasingly being recognized for their important engagement in the political process – it is OUR world that politicians are making decisions about, and we have a right to influence those decisions. While the official nature of many international meetings can be intimidating, youth are getting out there and making their voices heard in a variety of ways – and more people are always needed. Try getting involved with an NGO in a field you are interested in – NGOs might need long-term volunteers, campaigners, note-takers at a conference, or people to go out and bring their message to a community.