Social enterprise and social business is on the rise, Teen Vogue is now a woke brand, and apparently activism sells. It really seems we’re moving towards an economy driven by purpose, rather than profit. And with this change, the world of work is changing too. More graduates than ever want to pursue a meaningful career, and organisations are selling themselves to new hires as much on their ethical credentials as the salaries and perks that come with the job.
This is a real boon for the charity sector where roles are, by default, about doing good. And while that’s great, you still want to develop right? To have more social impact but also to for yourself too - for work to continue to be interesting and exciting. It’s possible to be motivated by these two things at once.
The good news is, the charity sector is fast waking up to what the private sector has long known - that investing in young talent is good for business, and opportunities for ambitious, compassionate young people are growing. Following TeachFirst’s trailblazing rise to the top of the graduate destinations rankings, graduate programmes and opportunities that impact and impact personal development are on the rise.
Of course, the budget is definitely not there for company cars and salaries starting at double the UK average wage, but the things that really make a difference in the first years of your career; the opportunity to stretch yourself and take on challenging work, the chance to build your network, and to develop your skill set through high quality training, don’t cost a lot but generate value for both young professionals and the organisations they work for.
Schemes such as Charity Works, Year Here, and Worthwhile, offer learning and development, alongside work or volunteering in organisations working for a healthier, fairer, more open world. There are also a whole host of other public sector schemes following the TeachFirst model, in mental health, family social work, policing and the prison service, all with a similar focus on both development and impact.
At Worthwhile for instance, we work with small, innovative organisations that are having a positive impact in the world, placing young professionals in challenging (paid) roles, with responsibility, where they can make a difference in their very first year. We then support graduates through that first year of work; we offer monthly training, a mentoring scheme and a community of peers and alumni to help you on your way. Our graduates are pursuing fantastic careers as a result; whether it’s by moving up through their organisations, starting their own social enterprises, joining the civil service or finding new roles in social impact. The organisations we work with flourish too as a result of bringing in and investing in graduate talent - growing and achieving more social impact.
This is a real boon for the charity sector where roles are, by default, about doing good. And while that’s great, you still want to develop right? To have more social impact but also to for yourself too - for work to continue to be interesting and exciting. It’s possible to be motivated by these two things at once.
The good news is, the charity sector is fast waking up to what the private sector has long known - that investing in young talent is good for business, and opportunities for ambitious, compassionate young people are growing. Following TeachFirst’s trailblazing rise to the top of the graduate destinations rankings, graduate programmes and opportunities that impact and impact personal development are on the rise.
Of course, the budget is definitely not there for company cars and salaries starting at double the UK average wage, but the things that really make a difference in the first years of your career; the opportunity to stretch yourself and take on challenging work, the chance to build your network, and to develop your skill set through high quality training, don’t cost a lot but generate value for both young professionals and the organisations they work for.
Schemes such as Charity Works, Year Here, and Worthwhile, offer learning and development, alongside work or volunteering in organisations working for a healthier, fairer, more open world. There are also a whole host of other public sector schemes following the TeachFirst model, in mental health, family social work, policing and the prison service, all with a similar focus on both development and impact.
At Worthwhile for instance, we work with small, innovative organisations that are having a positive impact in the world, placing young professionals in challenging (paid) roles, with responsibility, where they can make a difference in their very first year. We then support graduates through that first year of work; we offer monthly training, a mentoring scheme and a community of peers and alumni to help you on your way. Our graduates are pursuing fantastic careers as a result; whether it’s by moving up through their organisations, starting their own social enterprises, joining the civil service or finding new roles in social impact. The organisations we work with flourish too as a result of bringing in and investing in graduate talent - growing and achieving more social impact.
Tasha Unwin is Worthwhile's Community Manager and is passionate about shining the light on the alternative graduate schemes available to the graduate community. Worthwhile is a training programme for people who care about social impact. They place graduates into innovative, small charities and social enterprises across the UK for paid yearlong placements. Graduates receive support and training from Worthwhile, and there is a real sense of community. They quite rightly believe that young graduates can do amazing things. We think they’re great!
Applications for the March interviews close on the 22nd March.
Applications for the March interviews close on the 22nd March.
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