Charities and voluntary work sector
Find out essential information on working in the charities and voluntary work sector...
This sector is often referred to as the third sector, the not-for-profit sector and the voluntary and community sector (VCS).
Employment opportunities are grouped into:
However, it is worth noting that many jobs that are available in businesses are also required in not-for-profit organisations, for example, marketing, IT and accounting.
For examples of job roles in this sector, see graduate jobs in charities and voluntary work.
The charity sector includes large, well-established organisations that have diverse areas of interest. Examples include:
These larger organisations provide graduate training programmes, internships and structured career development opportunities.
Employers also include a range of smaller, specialised organisations. Social enterprises are businesses, not charities, with primarily social objectives. They are frequently referred to as small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Due to their size, they may not be able provide structured graduate training schemes; however, they do provide an all-round experience that helps career progression within the sector.
Many organisations in the sector were established by individuals (social entrepreneurs) who wanted to make a difference or hoped to meet a specific need or interest. Opportunities for setting up social enterprises are currently being given particular stimulus by both specialist organisations and universities.
Self-employment is also common among professionals in other industries who provide a range of different services to the sector.
Graduates entering the charities and voluntary work sector can expect:
Keeping up to date with changes in government and non-government policy is important. Some major changes that have taken place recently include the Charities Act, which ushered in new financial reporting arrangements for charities, and the allocation of the Lottery Fund. In addition, controversy remains over a pilot scheme that demands unemployed people, who are aged between 18 and 24 and have spent less than six months in a job, to volunteer without pay for up to three months or face losing their unemployment benefits.
Public sector cutbacks are likely to have an impact on organisations in this sector; this may lead to them having to diversify activities or develop new partnerships with private sector businesses.
The voluntary sector looks set to benefit from social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as they enable fast, effective targeting of potential donors, volunteers and contributors for fundraising and other campaigns aimed at internet users.
There is a wide range of graduate jobs on offer in the charity sector for people of different backgrounds. Find out what roles will suit your personality, skills and experience
These job profiles are examples of graduate careers in the charities and voluntary work sector:
To find the graduate job roles that best match your skills and interests, log in to what jobs would suit me?
For job vacancies in the charity sector, search graduate jobs in charity and voluntary work.
If you want to break into the charity sector, you'll first need to know what employers look for in candidates, as well as how to go about tracking down work opportunities
That all depends on the role you want to do. As there are so many different areas of voluntary work available, you will need a relevant degree for some, for example veterinary science, and for others you can have any academic background, for example fundraising.
Employers in the charities and voluntary work sector look for:
Both large and small organisations provide structured work placements and internships for students and graduates.
The charity sector has a long-established tradition of offering relevant work experience through volunteering, which enables students and graduates to gain essential skills and competences for the industry.
Prior experience is highly sought after by employers looking to take on paid employees, so work experience is particularly important in this sector.
To find work placements and internships in the charities and voluntary work sector, search for work experience.
Job vacancies are posted on organisations' websites, national and local newspapers and university careers services. You can also search graduate jobs in charity and voluntary work.
Opportunities are also advertised on specialist websites, including:
If you are interested in setting up a social enterprise, get advice and a directory of organisations that can support you from Social Enterprise UK .
In some cases, jobs may not be formally advertised; instead, recruitment can sometimes be overly dependent upon networking, knowledge of the sector and/or specialist websites and channels of communication.
If you are considering working abroad, you may be able to find opportunities in the overseas branches or companies of large global organisations. Understanding other cultures and having competence in a second language is an asset. Regulations governing charitable activity and accepted qualifications vary around the world so it is important to check this carefully if you want to work overseas.
Find out how postgraduate study and professional qualifications could improve your chances of having a successful career in the charity sector...
Entry into many charity and voluntary sector jobs doesn't necessarily require postgraduate-level qualifications. Employers are known to place emphasis on practical work experience and personal commitment.
Once you have broken into the sector, though, gaining postgraduate or professional qualifications can enhance opportunities to progress in your career and develop specialist areas of expertise.
Some occupations may require postgraduate or professional qualifications on entry, however. For example, higher degree level study and/or qualifications in research skills are needed for research roles, while teaching positions are likely to require qualified teacher status (QTS). Technical or professional roles, such as engineer, nurse or accountant, usually require prior postgraduate professional training and, in some countries, a relevant undergraduate degree can be beneficial, too.
For more information on entry requirements and career development in the charities and voluntary work sector, see types of jobs.
To find postgraduate courses in the UK, search courses and research.
Professional bodies are usually job specific, and because there are so many different job roles in the charities and voluntary work sector, it is more likely employees will join organisations related to their role. For example, if someone is an accountant in the charity sector, they may join the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
However, there are numerous sector-specific organisations, such as:
The benefits of joining a professional body include:
While qualifications are not always required, there are numerous professional qualifications accepted in the sector that might help you distinguish yourself from the competition, including fundraising qualifications approved by the Institute of Fundraising and the advanced apprenticeships in campaigning, fundraising and volunteer management from Skills - Third Sector .