Stacey Monk is the founder & CEO of Epic Change, a startup nonprofit that “helps hopeful people in need share their stories to acquire resources that will improve their lives.” Epic Change makes loans to global grassroots changemakers, then shares their stories in ways that generate income to facilitate loan repayment & sustain their efforts. Their current project is to finance the reconstruction and expansion of a locally-led primary school in Tanzania that serves over 200 children. This is her story

Before I start, I have a confession to make: I'm a Gen Y wannabe. My own birth preceded the Millenials by at least a few years, and I only wish I were still in my 20s. But I'm thankful for the extra decade, I suppose; I've gone to college, grad school and built a successful career in change management and consulting with companies like Deloitte and Genentech, have worked in the public sector and the theatre, and even ran my own small firm, Funken Consulting, before I launched my most recent endeavor, Epic Change. Since doing so, some of the most important lessons I've learned about leadership and creating "magic" have been from people much younger than me.

One of those people is Zoe Flanagan, a student at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon, who joined us on our most recent trip to Africa, so I decided to ask her a few questions about her experience with Epic Change.

Stacey: Describe your experience with Epic Change in Tanzania, and the key lessons you learned. In what ways do you believe Epic Change is creating magic there?

Zoe: My experience with Epic Change this summer was extremely educational. I’ve worked with many different NGOs in many different countries and this summer made me reexamine the effects people can have when they are trying to help. I understand now that even with good intentions, one can do more harm than good.

The magic I saw this summer came mostly from Mama Lucy, who founded the school at which we were working in Tanzania, and the interactions between her and Epic Change. The partnership was very clearly a strong and honorable one. So often in this world we are taught not to trust those who are different. This summer I saw the wonderful results of the Epic Change approach, which emphasizes trust and respect for local leadership. Many times throughout the summer I had waves of excitement for what this trust produced. In contrast to this excitement, I felt a heavy fear in me when I looked around Arusha, a town full of NGOs with good intentions, and I saw a clear absence of trust. So what I came out of this summer with was an idea of how good things could be when thought and trust are put into aid work. This has instilled in me a sense of humility, which I really cherish.

Stacey: In what ways do you think Epic Change, and Gen Y, are approaching social change differently than their predecessors?

Zoe: Well, one of the most popular subjects in my generation is sustainability; it’s a concept often discussed both in economics and environmental issues. Epic Change is certainly working with this idea of sustainability in mind and I believe it is a great approach. Given the fragile state of the world that has been passed down to us, Generation Y understands well the importance of sustainable thinking. It is our responsibility to future generations to act in sustainable ways.

Stacey: How do you believe Gen Y innovations - like YouTube, Facebook, MySpace - and other tools are helping organizations like Epic Change to do good? Do you think the Epic Change story would be possible without tools like these?

Zoe: I certainly think Epic Change would be able to work without these tools, mostly because I believe in their message and their passion, and with both of those you work with what you have. That being said, I think Epic Change uses these tools in a great way. They have been able to bring people together. With their videos, they spread the idea of hopeful and bright futures for children like Gideon, Glory and Pius who are usually tagged as lost causes. This is one of my favorite aspects of Epic Change. I think they are able to use these tools to create a more diverse interest group as well, which is very helpful for the organization.

Stacey: What advice would you offer to organizations who are trying to connect with your generation?

Zoe: One thing I always looked for in an organization was respect for what I had to say. Very often being young is seen as being inexperienced and that is all. I believe I am inexperienced but I do also think I have some good ideas. I am very impressed when organizations involve the younger generation in a real way and give them opportunities to be heard.

Stacey: Based on your experience with Epic Change this summer, how will you continue to create magic?

Zoe: First of all, I plan on continuing to work with Epic Change. At the same time I am in college and hoping to study more about sustainable development. Given the emphasis that the Epic Change model places on storytelling, I know a lot of change is created when people tell their stories, so I plan on telling my story and explaining what I learned this summer to others. Thanks for the opportunity to do that here.

Stacey: As the leader of Epic Change, I was very interested to read Zoe’s responses to these questions, and thought she provided an excellent primer on a few simple rules of Gen Y leadership:

• Respect diversity.
• Think sustainably.
• Spread hope.
• Be resourceful.
• Be inclusive.
• Use your voice.

Especially in the business of creating social change, the power of these strategies cannot be underestimated.