Welcome to my page, where I want to present my book The Playground – Play to Effectively Run your Non-profit Organisation. It’s a playful, fun handbook written for all the managers of non-profits worldwide. As noted on its back cover:
This handbook is a simplified version of my understanding of non-profit management. It’s the result of years of studying contemporary literature on leadership and management, a mesh-up of my experience and knowledge gained during the 20 years of professional and voluntary work in non-profit projects.
The reason I wrote it lies in the situation many non-profits face: no funds, no strategy, and no staff or volunteers to do the work.
I used the memory palace technique (https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Memory-Palace) to make it easier for every manager to remember the essential things when leading a non-profit.
I used the metaphor of a playground that is to be renovated. The story then takes you from the Climbing Wall (Mission) to Spring Rocker (Legislation), Sandbox (Creativity), Train (Content and programmes), Hopscotch (Budgeting), Roundabout (Human resource management), Slide (Education and training), Seesaw (Public relations), Wobbly Log Bridge (Fundraising), Trampoline (Competition), Pole (Time and energy management), Bench (Board management), Drinking Fountain (Needs of employees and volunteers), Trash Can (Ethics).
Each playground element provides the reader with three simple tips.
The Playground: Play to run your non-profit organisation efficiently is an idea, a model that you can quickly adopt in your organisation. I encourage you to get it and contribute to my further sector work.
Let me tell you more about my qualifications.
I hold a BA in English and Spanish language and literature and an MSc in Management of non-profit organisations. For the last 22 years, I have been active in non-profit organisations, working in humanitarian aid, arts, youth, sports, and education, working on a voluntary and professional basis in the public and NGO sectors.
I am a Certified Fund Raising Executive, a European Research Network on Philanthropy member, and a delegate for Slovenia in European Fundraising Association.
I have been active in the Slovenian non-profit sector since 1999, as a volunteer and now as an employee. In all these years, I have learned that human resource management is of utmost importance.
I realised that the Slovenian culture and environment are not nonprofit-friendly, although, in times of Corona, we have demonstrated how vital our work is. Proactivity and flexibility were key in solving the problems of society. I am thankful for being part of it.
So, your buying my book would allow me to continue with my work and research on the Slovenian third sector.
My scientific article about Slovenian NGOs was published in September 2020 in the scientific journal Sustainability.
You can read it here https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7363
Secondly, I was invited to write an article for Alliance Magazine.
Doing and publishing research is what I do in my free time. Otherwise, I earn my bread by helping to raise funds for those Slovenian organisations that are keen to learn and therefore have the potential to serve the community better. In my work, I am in constant contact with people in need, which pushes me to perform even better.
Another good thing about my work is that I can immediately put all my research findings into practice.
My mission is to empower the Slovenian non-profit sector to be able to do good better, as Peter F. Drucker put it.
Therefore I invite you to buy the Playground to support my mission. The book is available in Kindle format and as a paperback. I am sure you will enjoy a cheerful and helpful reading.
If you want to learn more, you can read an article about my handbook, The Playground, in the European Fundraising Association newsletter.
You will support my free counselling hours for grassroots and small Slovenian charity organisations and my research of the Slovenian non-profit sector.
Your purchase will help me indirectly help all the beneficiaries of Slovenian non-profits – the excluded, the poor, the sick, the victims of domestic violence, the homeless and many more.
I thank you for making it possible!
I hope you like the idea of the Playground and find the solutions I propose helpful for your organisation.
Thank you very much for your support.
