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The social service sector offers a rewarding career path for young people in Detroit
March 18, 2025
The social service sector offers a rewarding career path for young people in Detroit | Nonprofit Journal Project Feature
Layla McMurtrie | Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Low pay, long hours, and limited opportunities for growth are just some of the many factors that make working in the nonprofit sector seem unfeasible.
While there’s some truth to those concerns, the reality is more complicated. For many young professionals, the chance to make a real impact, work alongside passionate changemakers, and shape the future of their communities makes it all worthwhile.
Debunking the low-pay myth
One of the biggest deterrents for young people considering nonprofit work is the assumption that financial stability is off the table. Kelley Kuhn, who leads the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA), understands the concern but believes it’s an outdated perception.
“I think there’s still a misunderstanding that you can’t make a good living,” Kuhn says. “I think that’s not true. It’s been very rewarding in my career path for the last 25 years.”
Jerjuan Howard, founder of Umoja Debate League, knows firsthand how tough the early years can be. Howard quit his full-time job to run his nonprofit without a salary, a risk that paid off as he secured partnerships and learned the administrative side of nonprofit management.
“It was a grind, to be honest,” he says. “I didn’t think it was a grind until we started to get a budget and get partnerships and develop contracts and get grants. But the first couple of years, honestly, was really, really tight.”
He adds, “There’s a whole business element to this thing—articles of incorporation, bylaws, board of trustees, partnerships, insurance. I started just wanting to do good, but all of that comes along with it.”
Many young professionals in the Detroit area are finding ways to make nonprofit careers sustainable.
Jeremiah Steen, a 23-year-old advocate for youth empowerment who founded the Steen Foundation, says one of the best ways to grow in the sector is to get involved in board service.
“You really start to understand how these folks think about things, and that helped me find a mentor,” Steen says.
Organizations like the MNA offer resources to help young professionals navigate nonprofit careers, from job boards to mentorship programs.
Finding purpose in mission-driven work
For many, financial stability is just one piece of the puzzle—having a job that aligns with their values is just as important. Kuhn has noticed a shift in how young people view nonprofits, seeing them as a direct path to enacting change.
“Young people are understanding that the change that they desire or seek… nonprofit organizations or social impact organizations are a pathway for that change,” she says.
Howard believes young people have a unique advantage in addressing systemic issues.
“Those who are closest to the problem are closest to the solution,” he says. “Young folks bring fresh ideas that aren’t jaded by old ways of thinking.”