Projects

Many years ago, I was a Project Officer. Basically, my job was to recommend funding for projects, write up the contract, then monitor the project to the end of the contract. I was responsible for projects as "little" as $2,000 and some projects up to $500,000 or more. Some projects were easier than others just due to the nature of certain project criteria. However, some were more difficult. But for a new project trying to get funding, those were the most difficult ones to deal with. As an officer, I had to make sure it met all the right criteria...but the risk was that there was no previous history...would it do well? Would it fail? Is it worthy? And in a job such as this, you have to go with your gut. Sometimes new projects were better than ones that had been funded for 10 years because the new projects were innovative and help a new market. One of the projects I funded was a centre to help street workers get off the street. This was in the form of finding legitimate work, helping in obtaining skills in legitimate work, finding housing, etc. I really had to fight to get this project funded because it was outside of the norm of projects that were funded. It was new and people were unsure that this was a risk that the organization should take. But I knew it would be a good choice. And I knew it would help those individuals that are some of the most vulnerable people in society. And fast forward to today...saw that the centre is celebrating 10 years. I'm reading about some of the success stories that have come out of that centre. Just amazing. The people that come to that centre have turned their life around in some form or fashion. Granted, maybe the numbers are not as huge as mainstream centres that help unemployed folks. But considering the population and how difficult it is to get them to trust anybody and also get off the street...nothing short of a miracle I say. Glad to see the centre is still running. Glad I went with my gut on funding this place. And so, so happy for those that have turned their life around.