Charity & Volunteering - Stockport JobsMatch

If you’re an organised person who loves working with people and you’re passionate about making a difference, then a career in the charity and volunteering sector may be for you!

Whether you’re interested in saving the planet, helping the homeless find permanent accommodation or creating a safe community for children to live in – there are countless roles to choose from that align with your own personal beliefs. Fortunately, here in Stockport, we’re home to some amazing local and national charities, non-profits, social enterprises and community groups that work tirelessly to make Stockport a better place and are constantly looking to recruit new talent to help them achieve their goals.

Across our borough, a job in the charity and volunteering sector can have you working in different working environments from a traditional office to local community centres, working hands on with vulnerable people or planning out fundraising activities. International travel is also a possibility depending on the charity you work for as many have a worldwide agenda too.

Featured Stockport Employer

Hear from Cara Mahon, Engagement & Referral Outreach Lead at Smart Works in Stockport, sharing her career story about working in the Charity & Volunteering sector. Smart Works is a national charity that exists to give women the confidence they need to reach their full potential, secure employment and change their lives. They provide a free dressing and coaching service designed to help their customers be the best version of themselves at a crucial moment in their lives.

The women who come to Smart Works are referred from Job Centres, mental health charities, women’s refuges, homeless shelters, the prison service, care service and youth organisations. This is followed by a one-to-one coaching session with an expert interview coach, where each customer receives valuable interview preparation.

Labour Market Information

Covid-19 undoubtedly had a huge effect on charities, with volunteering being particularly hard hit. It was more challenging for charities to identify and engage with those who needed support due to the lockdown, not to mention strained resources and financial aid due to the increase of those in need of support during the pandemic. Social distancing measures impacted on the ability to fundraise or receive donations both from personal and corporate donors and limited fundraising to online appeals and social media.

Here in Stockport however, the community response born out of the covid crisis led to many businesses, individuals and groups coming together to support the most vulnerable. This increased connectivity, collaboration and community has only inspired more people to support.

our third sector and commit to building a better future for everyone. Take a look at the One Stockport Borough Plan to learn about how you can play your part now and shape the future of the sector for the years to come.

Starting Salary

£11.44 per hour or £18,000
per annum

Typical Salary Range

£18,000 – £40,000+
per annum

Working Hours

37 to 39 hours per week, could include evenings and weekends

Working in Charity & Voluntary

Admin and organisation skills
Communication and interpersonal skills
Flexibility and time management
Commitment and belief in the charity’s aims
Team-working
Enthusiasm and tenacity
Initiative and creativity
Planning and analytical skills
Understanding of marketing and PR tools to engage with audiences
Ability to multi-task
Project management

Advice worker
Campaign manager
Charity director
Charity fundraiser
Community arts worker
Community development worker
Community education officer
Grants assistant
Housing officer
International aid/development worker
Policy/research assistant
Volunteering assistant
Youth worker

Like most sectors, there are plenty of ways to start a career in Charity and Volunteering. The most obvious being volunteering at the charity you wish to work for! Not only does this give you a steppingstone to work your way up, but also gives you ground level insight that those in management positions may not possess. Although it is unpaid, it’s the most accessible route in the industry.

There are often training courses or drop ins that can act as an entrance into the charity sector that allow you to gain some information about your area, what’s already happening, what needs to happen and how you can help. For example, Stockport’s ‘Community Champions’ enables residents to get involved and learn about the different volunteering and charitable causes in the community and can give you the desirable skills and experience for your CV.

However, further or higher education routes to gain specific or related qualifications are also an option. Many colleges offer courses focused on the charity/voluntary sector, through to related degrees in social policy, sociology or voluntary sector management for example.

The Charity and Volunteering sector has great career progressions, and if you show enough initiative, this can happen relatively fast. If you’re an ambitious person, you may even think about starting your own charity, no matter the scale of the organisation – as long as you’re making a difference to at least one persons day, you’ve done your job!