Exciting Projects on the Horizon!

It is fascinating to learn the culture of a company, in my case, of a nonprofit organization. As Meghan Hayden mentions, “culture is essentially how things are done in your company.” The first observation I have made of the culture in Charlotte Center for Legal advocacy is that everyone is flexible. Because there are less resources to work with in a nonprofit than in a for profit organization, employees often must wear different hats. In the same way, my managers and colleagues are flexible with space. For example, I know my manager had to utilize many desks until they found her a permanent location. This flexibility is one of the best parts about working at this organization. Furthermore, there is also a culture of giving and helping. If I have a question or doubt, I feel comfortable asking a coworker because everyone is very welcoming. The environment is very professional, but it is nice that there is room to sometimes to talk and laugh with the people around my work area. Lastly, my managers hold me accountable for the work assigned to be, but they are not constantly managing every minute of my time. Instead, interns are respected and held accountable for their work.

One highlight from week six was beginning to record a series of videos interviewing different people around the office. The purpose of this series is for the other intern and I to get to know distinct areas of the organization while meeting different people. The other purpose of recording these videos is to highlight the work that is often not recognized. For example, while the work attorneys do is quintessential, the work that paralegals and other administrative staff do is very important. We wanted the public to recognize all the work being done at Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy by all employees. The first interview went well and we received great feedback from our supervisor! I cannot wait to record many more of these interviews!