CAREERS
Working for a charity in the UK
Te UK has a vibrant and long-established voluntary sector, which is actively engaged in almost every aspect of society and makes sub- stantial contributions to the well-being of people, animals and the environment, both here and abroad. Voluntary organisations, large and small, are woven into the fabric of the UK and promote activi- ties ranging from service provision to campaigning, education and research, and grant giving. Voluntary organisations operate inde- pendently of the state and business and have their own governance and structures. Tey will also often work in collaboration, or formal partnership, with the state sector and the private sector. In recent times the voluntary sector became known as the third sector tagging along behind these much bigger sectors. Tere are several other terms used to describe organisations or
initiatives created on a voluntary basis i.e. where the motivation is not to make a profit and nor is there a statutory requirement for it to exist. Voluntary organisations are those created by individuals or groups to help solve society’s problems or to meet the needs of peo- ple hitherto unsupported. Terms include voluntary organisation,
charity, not-for-profit organisation, non-profit, non-govern- mental organisation (NGO), social enterprise, community group, and civil society. Te most enduring and commonly used name is charity and one that more than most conjures up the idea of selfless giving and altruistic activism. Sometimes the word charity leads to the assumption that those involved are unpaid and that the initiatives are all run by amateurs, which can suggest a lack of professionalism. Tis couldn’t be further from the truth. Tere are many thousands of people in paid jobs with salaries high enough to earn a living, raise a family and pay a mortgage. Te salaries paid are competitive enough to attract the level of expertise required for the charity to achieve its purpose, but charity employers cannot compete with the salaries and benefits available in the private sector and char- ity jobs packages will not be sufficient to satisfy people moti- vated primarily by money. Te latest published statistics from the National Council for
Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)*, show that 827,000 people were employed in the UK voluntary sector in 2015, an increase of 33% since 2004. Te workforce represents 2.7% of all UK workers; still the third sector, but significant and growing in importance. Te demographic profile is one of slightly older workers (38% are 50 years+) who are more highly educated (46% qualified to university degree level and only 2% of work- ers with no qualifications). A total of 66% of the workforce are female and 9% are from black and minority ethnic groups. Many of the jobs are in London and the South East of
“Working for pay, working as a volunteer, working as a trustee are all possibilities if
you want to work for a charity.”
www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 29
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