LISTEN | Carol Ofori chats to Durban charity head Cindy Norcott
This week's Woman Crush Wednesday is Cindy Norcott...
Carol Ofori chats to entrepreneur, businesswoman, author and founder of the Robin Hood Foundation, Cindy Norcott, who has just launched her third book.
Carol invited Norcott into the studio as this week's Woman Crush Wednesday to talk about her new book, 'The Weight of Hope'.
Norcott is a mother of two, a business owner of Pro Talent, which she founded 30 years ago, a motivational speaker, business coach, trainer, and mentor, as well as the head of the award-winning charity at the Robin Hood Foundation.
Her latest book is centred around the Robin Hood Foundation, a non-profit organisation which she founded in 2005. 'The Weight of Hope' is a legacy and gift that she will leave for those following in her footsteps as she shares her wisdom and lessons she's gained from leading the organisation for more than 20 years.
The Robin Hood Foundation runs over 120 charitable outreach projects annually around KwaZulu-Natal, making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of society.
This is the sort of book that someone who wants to start a charity should read first. I think the most useful chapter covers mistakes made and lessons learnt. I've interviewed many other charity founders about the problems that we have all encountered. There’s also a chapter on how to do fundraising. A lot of people do it wrong or don't know where to start – and then they wonder why people don't support them.
Listen to the full interview with Carol Ofori and Cindy Norcott below:
The book even has a dedicated chapter on volunteers, giving insights on how to attract, manage, motivate, retain, and reward them.
Having personally experienced the aftermath of the KZN floods, looting and the pandemic, Norcott also writes about how to manage burnout, which she describes as a significant challenge.
"Burnout is synonymous with people in this space, so I talk about boundaries. I provide self-care tips so people know how to look after their own souls while trying to help everyone else," she says.
Norcott describes how she tackles some of the mistakes she has made in her pursuit of helping, including the so-called 'white saviour syndrome'.
"It’s a very real thing. Some people come in almost like colonialists with a hero or rescuer complex. They decide what they are going to do for a community without engaging them and asking. I have made this mistake. You look back and think, 'My intentions were so good, but I was so immature.' I may have been disrespectful and disempowering," she admits.
Norcott says that in the 20 years that she's been running Robin Hood, she has focused her efforts on giving; it's not a business for her but something that fulfils her soul.
She believes that the book is something of a call to action, as South Africans, there is much more that is expected of us outside of just dedicating 67 minutes to Mandela Day.
She adds: "If you are lucky enough to be one of the haves, even if you feel you don't have a lot, there is a certain responsibility to make a difference, to support something."
Giving doesn't only concern money; you can also make a difference by donating your time, your insights and your professional skills.
The book is available for sale at R250, and R50 from each purchase goes back to the Robin Hood Foundation. To get the book, you can email Cindy Norcott at [email protected]
Or you can purchase it at any of the following outlets in KZN:
- Willow Boutiques in La Lucia
- Windemere Centre
- Loop Boutiques in Glenore Centre and in Hilton
- Stanley’s Stationers in Westville
- Adele Catherine in Kloof
- Camp Orchards in Hillcrest
- Indigo Fields in the Midlands.
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