OXFORD

CHARITY +
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
The charity and social enterprise world is bigger than
you might think, with 164,000 charities in England
and Wales alone, and 70,000 social enterprises
operating in the UK. Charities do not seek to make
and grants. Social enterprises are businesses which
There is a huge range of causes served, and workplaces
range from small and informal start-ups to big organisations
with a more corporate culture. Charities and social
Charities often also have an extensive fundraising or
‘development’ department. Salaries tend to be a little
Chief Executives found that those working in charities
were paid an average of 18% less than their private sector
counterparts.
GETTING IN AND ENTRY POINTS
The following options offer different ‘ways in’ to the charity
and social enterprise sector:
+ Internships – although paid opportunities are advertised,
internships are often offered as unpaid volunteering. If
it isn’t possible for you to volunteer unpaid, ask whether
there’s any way they could make the opportunity more
accessible: fewer days or hours, or working remotely
to allow you to accommodate other paid work, for
example.
+ Job opportunities generally will require some previous
roles can be an accessible way into the sector. Check
such as Charity Jobs, Third Sector Jobs, Guardian Jobs,
Idealist and Social Enterprise UK.
+ Contact organisations speculatively too – lots of roles,
particularly short-term roles or entry level work aren’t
well advertised.
+ Graduate schemes are relatively rare, but some
examples include Sanctuary Group, CharityWorks,
Worthwhile, On Purpose (for recent graduates) and
Cancer Research UK.
+ Some people transfer into the charity sector having
This is particularly true of roles like accountancy or legal
work where the charity or social enterprise might not
have the resources to train someone.
+ Further study – many roles are accessible without a
further degree but this may be important for some roles
(eg, policy).
If you are considering further study as part of your strategy,
it is advisable to:
Understand which roles commonly require higher
advertisements.
Ask people working in your preferred area what
well considered.
background of tutors and destinations of recent graduates.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR IDEAS
Relevant work experience is usually essential. Here are
some ideas to try while you’re here at Oxford:
+ Explore volunteering opportunities through Oxford Hub,
which also offers grants and training for those wishing
using www.do-it.org.uk or OCVA.
+ Join a cause-related student society: get involved in
establish a new society if there isn’t something serving
the cause you care about.
+ Participate in The Student Consultancy: charities and
social enterprises are among the clients seeking student
advice.
+ Look at other sectors in this Guide for advice on gaining
+ Join the international social enterprise society
ENACTUS, and explore Business Mentoring at The
Careers Service for help to develop your social
enterprise idea (p.34).
+ Look for the Skoll World Forum activities and the fringe
events (Marmalade/OxJam) in April each year.
MORE INFORMATION:
Daisy Bland
Charityworks Programme
Manager, Vanilla
“You can make a difference in wildly
different ways, and you are looking for
one that you like. We need your passion
and skills, you will have a real impact,
and this is a wonderful sector to work in.
Go for it!”
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/charity
/work-for-yourself
CHARITY + SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
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