Work Placement Charity Jobs

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Helping you find a career in the charity industry

There are 169,000 charities in the UK, employing more than 600,000 workers, all with a passion for helping others. If you're one of those people, then this page will give you all the information you need to get a work placement in the world of charity.

Charities are non-profit organisations, notable charities include: The National Trust, Cancer Research UK and Save the Children. There are a diverse range of charities, so you'll be able to find a charity that tackles the issues closest to your heart. Charities rely on their workforce to raise money and organise events. A charity's workforce is the key to the efficiency and reach of that charity's work.

Graduates make up one third of the workforce in the charity sector, however there are also a large number of voluntary staff working for most charitable organisations. This means that it's a fun, energetic and diverse place to work! Don't be dissuaded if you haven't had attended university however, there are opportunities for school leavers too.

Charities confront issues such as:

Child welfare
Environmental conservation
Animal welfare
Women's welfare and rights
Third world poverty
Human rights
Care services
Elderly care
Policy development
Poverty alleviation

So, you can see that they deal with pretty big issues! If you're excited at the possibility of helping solve some of these problems, then charity work may be for you.

N Written by Navdeep

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FAQs

FAQs

Skills & interests you'll need

You don't need us to tell you that, to work in charity, you're going to need to be passionate and caring. You're also going to need to be good at working with others and dealing with crises. Communication is key as you'll often be appealing to people to donate their money to your cause, so you need to be able to explain why your work is important.

Politics can also have a huge influence on the kinds of work charities can and will do, so a knowledge of the influence of politics on your relevant area will be highly useful. A basic knowledge of economics and the economic situation that directly influences your area of interest will also be useful.

You may find yourself dealing with sensitive information, so discretion is hugely important. You may also find yourself having to respond to crisis situations, so calm but quick thinking is an important skill.

How to get Charity internships, work experience or placements

You'll want to do a lot of voluntary work to get used to the industry and pick up key experience. Consequently, networking is essential. As a lot of charity work is volunteer-based, to get a paid position you'll need to prove yourself to be reliable and communicate your skills to the people who can get you a paid position.

Paid roles can be difficult to get in charity work. You should highlight any experience in a field related to the work of your chosen charity to make you a more attractive potential employee. For example, if you want to work with the RSPCA, any work you've done previously with animals will help you stand out.

A degree in a relevant field can be a great way to show your suitability to a career in charity. Any degree in a subject with a focus on communication or organisation skills such as events management will be useful. More specific degrees may offer you good grounding for a particular type of charity work. For example, a degree in economics may make you a more suitable client for a charity that focuses on alleviating poverty.