Attending post-secondary is a big decision. 

Not only does attending school take time, energy, and money, but depending on your field and career, attending post-secondary school does not always equate to career growth, especially in the nonprofit sector. 

Therefore, if you are considering going back to school, you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons to determine whether this is the best choice for you both in the short and long term.  

Canadian nonprofit programs

First, determine the type of schooling you are looking for. Are you interested in a specific school, program, technical training etc.? If unsure, browse this list of post-secondary nonprofit programs in Canada. The list, published by CharityVillage, remains the most comprehensive collection of Canadian nonprofit programs. 

Some of the most common nonprofit programs include, but are not limited to:  

  • Fundraising Management 
  • Nonprofit Management 
  • Volunteer Management 
  • Special Event Management 
  • Administration 
  • Arts and Culture Management 
  • Social Services Program Management 

From this list, determine what program(s) 

  1. Would be the most beneficial to your career, 
  2. Genuinely excite(s) you,
  3. Are logistically feasible (e.g., location and cost). 

Pros

Now, consider the following pros of going back to school. In other words, what are the most appealing factors about attending a nonprofit program? Feel free to write this information down and make specific notations when applicable. 

  • Develop hard skills (e.g., learning new software, proofreading, language(s) etc.) 
  • Develop soft skills (e.g., communication, leadership, time management etc.) 
  • Make industry connections  
  • Self-fulfillment 
  • Enjoyment of learning something new 
  • Build a workplace portfolio (e.g., compiling work samples like reports, lesson plans, and/or management documents created throughout the program to send when applying to future roles) 
  • Bulk up your resume 
  • Gain specialized knowledge 
  • Access to internships/co-ops 
  • Access to unique resources (e.g., career counsellors, libraries, professors etc.) 
  • Gain an accredited qualification 
  • Validate your career identity 
  • Potentially increase your salary 
  • Potentially become more hirable 

Cons

While school provides many benefits, unfortunately, for many the cons can outweigh any pros when deciding if schooling is an option for them at a given time. 

  • Cost (e.g., tuition, books, rooming, the potential loss of income while in school etc.) 
  • Time needed to attend the program 
  • Mental and physical energy dedicated to the program 
  • Accessibility 
  • Increased anxiety and stress 
  • Decreased social life 
  • Needing a refresher on positive study habits  
  • Increased exposures to COVID-19 (if the program is in person) 
  • Possible program prerequisites 

Other considerations

  • Does your work have an employer-sponsored learning program which could significantly reduce or eliminate the cost of your program? 
  • Do you have other life commitments needing to take precedence right now (e.g., kids, debt repayment, taking care of a sick family member)? 
  • What scholarships and bursaries, Canadian scholarships, grants and loans, or other support can you access (e.g., family help)? 
  • Is the program you are interested in remote or in person? Is one way or the other a deal breaker? 

Making a decision

When deciding whether to return to school, the best advice you can get is determining your “why”, “how”, and “what”. 

  • Why do you want to return to school? 
  • How will you go back to school? 
  • What do you need to do to achieve this goal? 

Even after working through these considerations, returning to school may still not be feasible for some. However, because the nonprofit sector is so vast in Canada, there are still many other opportunities for you to continue learning that do not require attending a complete post-secondary program. For example, you can: 

  • Volunteer 
  • Find a workplace mentor 
  • Take a class at a local community college 
  • Watch online informational videos or an industry documentary (check out CharityVillage’s free webinars as a great starting place!) 
  • Read articles in your desired field 
  • Conduct informational interviews with other professionals 

Therefore, even if formal schooling is unfortunately not currently an option for you, never stop finding opportunities to learn and grow in your everyday life!

Julia Halabourda is an experienced Burnaby art and recreation programmer, educator (focus in the fine arts and theatre), and nonprofit writer. She has her Bachelor of General Studies from SFU’s Faculty of Education with Minors in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Psychology, and Social Justice in Education. She also has her Nonprofit Management Associate’s Certificate from BCIT. Julia has been writing with Charity Village since August 2020 and her past articles can be accessed here. Julia can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-halabourda/.