We’ve come to an end, ladies and gentlemen (and those who have yet to make up your minds). We’ve talked about never working for free again, never working against your education and training, working on your own terms and educating yourself as you go along. We’ve found places to look for pro bono opportunities, places to find contracts and ways to deal with difficulties. We even found ways to trumpet your success to the masses. What could possibly be left?

Well…to be honest with you…not much. I don’t know about you guys but I’m exhausted. Except maybe one thing. Because there’s one big secret about this entire series:

I’m not getting paid to do this. Not a single word. Not a single line.

I took this series on for about four separate reasons. I wanted to write for BoDo because I believe in BoDo. I wanted to learn about online blogging, online publishing and online writing. I wanted to expand my knowledge of Web 2.0 as more than a catchphrase. And I wanted a creative outlet to write about something I loved.

To this endeavor I brought to the table over ten years of experience and endless hours of college and real-world education. I know nonprofits - good, bad and ugly, inside and out. I know freelance work. I know people. I know writing for the public. I know kung fu.

But there were many things I didn’t know when I started. I didn’t know about timed publishing, but I learned very quickly; I didn’t comprehend the vagaries of HTML, but I picked it up as I went along; I didn’t know how time-consuming responding to comments would be (nor how much fun it was!) but I threw myself into it with glee; I had no idea how WordPress worked, but I made it happen.

Did I benefit from this series? You bet your sweet tuckus I did.

I currently work for a very large, very nice, very professional non-profit that decided to upgrade their website. We were called in to a meeting about the redesign where we were asked the following questions:

“Have you ever worked with CSS and online publishing?” Why, yes I do…now.

“Do you have any experience with HTML editing?” Why, yes I do…now.

“Do you know about tagging? How about SEO.” Why, yes I do…now.

I could keep going, but you get the drift. I learned. I grew. I’ve expanded my understanding of the creation of an online presence exponentially. All because I was willing to say yes - to working pro bono on my terms, on my time and in my way.

And I have triumphed. I’ve added nearly a dozen lines to my professional resume, my career skill-set and my personal growth. I even picked up a dozen freelance writing gigs along the way that did make money. I didn’t make a dime on this series and yet I’m richer for every word I put into it. I’ve gathered something that can never ever be taken away, devalued or spent.

Maybe you think “I don’t have time to work for free.” Hogwash; I pull a 40-hour workweek and a full set of weekend activities and managed just fine. Perhaps you think “Well, that’s great for you, but I’m not a writer — I’m a different type of creative individual.” Rubbish again; whether you write, code, design, illustrate or sing jingles you can follow these articles and reap the benefits just as I did.

There are millions of reasons to say no to a new project. Some of them are even believable. But those reasons are just a million little fears made manifest in the smoke of your insecurity. The fear of what-might-happen is the most subtle and insidious poison ever manufactured inside the human mind. The easiest way to combat that fear is simple; step into the unknown and it will not follow.

Work pro-bono to free your mind. Once you get past the minutiae, you’re free to focus on the bigger and better things. They’ll make you bigger, better people. And, young or old, newbie or veteran — the rules still apply. Always get something back, even if you work for free. Treat your pro-bono work and clients like paid jobs and they’ll return the favor. Make a contract to protect everyone’s best interests (with a few extra steps in there to save your own skin). Ask questions. Learn about things you didn’t know before. When the work is done, show the world. Bigger and better, folks…bigger and better.

I wish the best of all things to all of you who have taken on a project pro bono. To my collaborators and friends: Jeff Fisher, Tamar Wallace, Calvin Lee, Jay Wickham and the unflagging support of my editor-in-chief and cheerleader Catherine Morley, I thank you from the bottom of my big fat motherly heart. And to those of you still on the fence - just go ahead and say yes to pro bono! The worst that can happen is that you’ll learn something about yourself, your world and your work.

I encourage you to ask questions and leave comments and tell me how you feel, what you think, and let me know what I’ve missed or just to say hello. In the meantime and every time - be gentle with yourself.

Thanks, and ciao for now.

This series has been dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

A member shall not work for a client or employer without compensation, with the exception of the occasional pro bono work for charitable purposes or for work performed for family members.

Quoted from “A Graphic Designer’s Guide to Pro Bono Work” by The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario.

A volunteer rebuilds houses after a hurricane; a volunteer brings food to the invalid and housebound; a volunteer shelves books at a public library. All these people are working for free. What are they getting out of these experiences? The answers are as varied as the opportunities. Maybe we step forward to help our community. Maybe we feed the sick because either our family or ourselves were once in the same dire need. For some people it’s about serving a spiritual component of our lives. Whatever the reason, there is something gained on both sides. People have a home, a meal, a chance to learn something new, and we in return gain a free lunch or two, pad our college applications, have a moment of heart-filling ease that we have done something for our fellow man. This is volunteerism, and it’s a great thing.

But it’s not pro bono work.

Let me give you a minute to let that soak in. Ready? Good, let’s go on: pro bono, as defined by a quick trip across the Internet, is short for pro bono publico, a Latin phrase meaning “for the good of the public” or “for the good of the people.” In the United States it’s a favorite phrase of lawyers, who are often encouraged by the legal associations they belong to to perform a minimum of free legal work for those clients who either cannot afford legal services or for non-profit entities.

My first posting was called “The Subtle Art of Working for Free”. While it is tempting to see the title as a pithy catch-all or catchphrase, nothing could be further from the truth. There is, in fact, artistry in working for free. And therein lies in the difference between volunteerism and pro bono work. Confused? You shouldn’t be. Read on!

Here’s an example of classic volunteerism: You’ve got a few years of school under your belt, or maybe you’ve got a few years of working out there as some production-line designer, fixing those hideous Microsoft Word and free clipart T-shirts that somebody visited on you like a biblical plague. You’re at a point where working for yourself seems like a good way to go and somebody says “Our Church Youth Group needs a logo. You know, something catchy, something to impress the kids.”

Your heart leaps at the chance; after all, this is how you get your work out in the public, right? So you design and draw and erase and print and vectorize and show it and get the seven deadly sins of design from the owner: Apathy, Logo Enlargement, Impossible Detail, Poor Feedback, Napkin Sketches, Just-Copy-This-Idea and Death. Maybe not death. Nope. I’ll stay with death. In the end the logo shows up on the church flyers and you get a lot of people saying “Father Bob said you did that for free. Can I get something for free?”

This is volunteerism. The only thing you can really hope to get out of volunteering is a warm fuzzy feeling. And an ulcer.

I can tell you’re depressed. Take a minute, go get a drink of water and look up. Things are about to get better.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably saying “If only there were a way that creatives could market themselves, educate themselves and promote themselves in one package plan.” And guess what? There is. And now let me show you the bright shiny idea that is pro bono work.

Here’s an example of the Pro Bono experience: Your local church needs a logo for their youth group. “Something catchy, something to impress the kids,” is your direction. You say “Great!” Only this time, instead of going home and pounding out that logo, you go home and write up a contract for goods and services. This contract outlines exactly what you’re doing, how you’re going to do it, and a rough estimate of how much time and effort it’s going to take. You take that back and say “I am serious about creating an identity for you that will last longer than summer camp. Let me sit down with the teachers, a few of the kids, the church arm and talk about your needs.” After you get that contract signed, you launch into research, outlining the needs of the group and the needs of the community. You interview and process and come up with well-informed designs that will match the budget of this church, whether they’ve got the money for a little color or none at all. On top of that creation, you offer them a detailed bill of services that outlines the amount of money they might have spent on an identity in the creative marketplace. In the end you haven’t just handed them something you like or they like, but something they need. They walk away with a logo they helped to create, and you walk away with a new experience and an intimate understanding of the community you’ve served.

THAT is pro bono. That is “for the good of the public.” And the people who come up to you won’t ask you for something free. They’ll say “I heard you re-branded the church youth group. I’m working on starting a new company. Can we talk?”

Established designers, and for that matter most new designers fall into two separate camps in regards to pro bono work. One camp declares their work for non-profit or public organizations to be completely selfless, i.e., done purely for the social service aspect of the deed, with no desire for any return whatsoever. The other, more common group seeks real-life portfolio additions, tax write-offs, or even the chance to beta-test their own skills. Which category do you fall under? In a few weeks we’ll be posting a survey for designers who currently undertake pro bono clientele, and I’d love to have your input to add to this series.

In the end it doesn’t matter if you’re working for a church group, a non-profit organization or some enterprising startup. If you’re willing to commit to the same set of principles of design, education and excellence that propelled you through school or on-the-job training, then you’re on the path to success. Your pro bono mantra is this: always get something back, or you’re just a volunteer.

Next time, let’s talk about the the whys - the rewards and reasons of working pro bono.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono