faqs

What is the voluntary and community sector
Who works in the voluntary and community sector?
Can volunteering help me to get a paid job in the sector?
I want to be a volunteer. What do I do?
Is it essential to have a degree to work in the voluntary and community sector?
Any top tips for someone wanting to get into the voluntary and community sector?
How can I get relevant work experience?

What is the voluntary and community sector

It’s not easy to define the voluntary and community sector – and most of the time, no one can decide what to call it. You’ll often hear the sector referred to as:

The charity sector
The Third Sector
Not-For-Profit Sector
Voluntary and Community Sector
NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) Sector
Civil Society

We’ve called it the voluntary and community sector because it’s a straight-forward term that most people understand – however, the sector involves more than just charities or volunteering.

The broadest definition of this sector includes not only charities registered with the Charity Commission but also:

Small voluntary groups
Social enterprises (profit-making businesses established to tackle social or environmental issues)
Housing associations
Universities and colleges
Schools and places of worship
Trade unions and trade associations
Sport and recreation clubs
NHS Trusts

Who works in the voluntary and community sector?

The voluntary and community sector employs over 611,000 people in the United Kingdom – and it is growing at a rapid rate, having grown by 26% in the last ten years.

It has a diverse workforce, which employs a higher proportion of disabled people than any other sector.

Part-time work is a significant part of voluntary sector employment – and one-third of voluntary and community sector workers are employed in workplaces with less than ten employees. A larger proportion of the workforce in the voluntary and community sector are female, and usually quite highly qualified (more voluntary sector workers have degrees than in the private and public sectors).

The largest area of employment in the voluntary and community sector is social work activities, followed by housing and education.

While it’s true that the voluntary and community sector will often pay less than other sectors, this is often compensated by the quality of life the sector can offer: charities are usually much more aware of the need for a work/life balance by offering more flexible working conditions than the public or private sector.

Can volunteering help me to get a paid job in the sector?

Volunteering is one of the best ways to get a foot in the door of the voluntary and community sector.

Volunteering roles can often lead to paid employment, but can also be a valuable addition to your CV, can help you develop new skills and can prove your commitment to the sector. It can also give you a real insight into the way the voluntary and community sector operates.

Most charities will gladly take on volunteers, so it is a good idea to research what areas you might be interested in, and aim to do volunteer work in that area.

Most importantly, don’t neglect to include any volunteering or community work you have done on your CV!

I want to be a volunteer. What do I do?

Most charity organisations will gladly take on volunteers, do some research and find out what area you might be interested in working in, and phone around.

For more information on how to become a volunteer in your local area, visit:

www.volunteering.org.uk (England)
www.volunteerscotland.org.uk (Scotland)
www.volunteering-wales.net (Wales)
www.volunteernow.co.uk (Northern Ireland)

Is it essential to have a degree to work in the voluntary and community sector?

One-third of people who work in the voluntary and community sector have a degree, so it isn’t essential – it’s usually entirely dependant on the role.

If you’re prepared to work your way up, many charities provide on-the-job training – the voluntary and community sector also offers plenty of opportunities for a relatively rapid career progression, particularly if you’re motivated and enthusiastic.

Many employers would consider it more important for an applicant to have the right combination of skills and experience for a particular role, and that you can make a valuable contribution to the work they do.

Any top tips for someone wanting to get into the voluntary and community sector?

There isn’t a fast-track route to getting a paid job in the sector – but there are ways to make it easier.

Do some voluntary work, it shows commitment and can give you valuable experience
Be patient and have commitment: areas like International Development and Policy and Research can be highly competitive and relatively difficult to get into.
Be prepared to do some temp work – it can give you a taste of a number of different organisations
Be creative and flexible. Even if you can't land your dream role first time round, getting into the sector and demonstrating commitment will help you in the long-term.
Be prepared to make a good case for why you are the right candidate: Competition will be fierce for jobs in the better known charities and for those paying reasonable salaries
Think very carefully about the type of organisation you will be joining and whether you are suited to it
Do some research and make sure you agree entirely with the aims and objectives of the charity you plan to work for
Meet as many people as you can who work in the voluntary and community sector and ask their advice.

How can I get relevant work experience?

If you’ve recently left school or graduated university, it can often seem like all of the jobs you wan to apply for require experience that you don’t have.

Below are some easy way to develop the skills and experience you need to work in the sector.

Volunteering

You can improve your chances of getting a paid job with a charity by volunteering – experience doesn’t have to be paid work - employers in the sector will recognise voluntary experience as being just as valuable as paid work.

You can easily volunteer in your spare time – hours are flexible to suit you.

Volunteering can also give you access to an organisation’s internal vacancy list and can sometimes lead to a paid job. Visit www.volunteering.org.uk for more information.

Work Experience

A short period of unpaid work experience can provide a valuable taster into a variety of different roles within an organisation. This can really help you to gain a better understanding of what kind of work you'd like to do and which organisations you'd like to work for. Visit www.work-experience.org for more information.

Internships

Internships can also be an excellent way to gain experience – some organisations pay for expenses only, other will pay you a salary.

Internships are highly competitive but give you great experience and training.

Temp work

Working as a temp can also help – giving your CV to a recruitment agency which provides contracts with the sector can mean that you get paid while you train, and you’ll also have access to internal job bulletins. Temping can often lead to a permanent position as well.

Doing a short course

You can also consider doing a short course in the area you are interested in. Working For A Charity runs short courses for those new to the sector – visit www.workingforacharity.org for more information.