What is it about working or volunteering in the Voluntary Sector?

The following quote is from Working for a Charity's online course, Effective Voluntary Sector Management

"The voluntary sector tends to have a common ethos. It's the beneficiaries or users or the cause that are most important. The environment in which work is carried out is not as important. In the past the terms and conditions for staff were often very basic, because most of the funds went towards the cause. This has been called the 'voluntaristic' approach. The image of the voluntary sector organisation based in a grotty office with crumbling floors and very low paid staff with gloves on because they can't afford heating is now very old fashioned.

The sector is not profligate with its money, but it has recognised that it needs to employ staff on good terms that are comparable with the public sector if not the private sector, pay a living wage for its professional staff and provide a healthy and safe working environment.

The ethos generally in the sector is to try and look after its staff by giving the best employment conditions it can. This is because it is congruent with operating in a sector that has general concerns for a fair society."

Research carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)* found that having good policies and practices in the following areas made the most difference to staff satisfaction and staff effectiveness:

• Career development
• Training
• Job influence and challenge
• Involvement
• Appraisal
• Work/life Balance
• Working in teams
• Being able to raise matters of concern
• Having a boss who shows respect
• Having managers who are good at leadership

The following pages are being developed to help VCS organisations ensure that they have the tools available to make this difference.

Employment links - external links to relevant websites

Trustee E- Learning - this free course offers an in depth module on employment

Toolkits - including The Good Employer's Guides developed by SAVO

Quality Standards - information on QS for VCS organisations

CRB Checking Service - find out when CRB checks are needed

* See 'Understanding the People and Performance Link', CIPD, Published May 2003, ISBN 0 85292-987-0. Available from the CIPD website atwww.cipd.co.uk.