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Volunteer organiser
Hours
35-40 per week
Starting salary
£16,000 + per year
Volunteer organisers (also known as volunteer coordinators or managers) recruit, train and manage volunteers in all kinds of organisations. If you can relate to all different kinds of people and motivate them to be committed to the cause of your organisation, this job could be for you.
To be good at this job you would also need leadership skills. You would need to be enthusiastic and positive. You would need to be self-motivated and have a flexible approach.
There aren't any set entry requirements to get into this job, but most entrants have a degree or BTEC HND. Most employers will expect you to have a good understanding of the voluntary sector, possibly through working as a volunteer or co-ordinating volunteer projects. There are courses you can do in volunteer development and management, which could help you to develop some of the skills you would need for this job.
WorkDesc
The work
As a volunteer organiser you would work with unpaid volunteers to provide extra support services within hospitals, social services, charitable and voluntary organisations.
Your work would usually include:
- interviewing prospective volunteers
- matching individuals to vacancies
- arranging training
- mentoring volunteers
- providing ongoing coaching and support
- assisting volunteers by giving advice, information and resources.
You could be responsible for making grant applications, keeping records and accounts, managing a budget and organising fundraising. You might also work on committees, supervise paid staff, give talks and arrange advertising and publicity.
When working with smaller organisations or departments, you may be involved with a wider range of duties, including project management, policy development and outreach work.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would typically work around 35 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. With some organisations, you may need to cover weekends and evenings. Part-time work is often available, particularly in smaller organisations that may not have the budget to employ a full-time organiser.
You will be mainly office-based, but some travel is likely to attend meetings with other organisations and to visit volunteers.
IncomeDesc
Income
Volunteer organisers can earn between £16,000 and £25,000 a year. With experience, this can rise to between £30,000 and £35,000.
Many volunteer organiser posts are part-time and pro-rata rates may apply.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
Many employers will prefer you to have a BTEC HND or degree (social science subjects are the most relevant), and a good understanding of the voluntary sector. You will also usually need experience as a volunteer, possibly including coordinating projects or mentoring new volunteers. Extensive experience and training may be accepted as an alternative to qualifications.
You can find out about local volunteering opportunities through Volunteering England.
As a volunteer, you may help your career by completing a course such as the Community Volunteering Qualifications (CVQ) levels 1 to 3 developed by the ASDAN (Award Scheme Development Accreditation Network).
You could consider taking a course created by an organisation called Working for a Charity. Their Foundation Course includes seven one-day seminars plus a 20-day charity placement, and their Effective Voluntary Sector Management course is available online.
If you have A levels, you could gain access to relevant training and experience through Barnardo's Pathway Volunteer Scheme. This is a three month programme offering placements in areas such as volunteer development, fundraising, and policy work. See the Barnardo's website for details.
Other national charities, such as Cancer Research UK, also have trainee schemes. However, these tend to prepare you generally for working in this sector, rather than focusing specifically on volunteer organising or management.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once working, you will usually receive on-the-job training from experienced staff. You may also be encouraged to take external training courses such as the Excellence In Volunteer Management (EVM). Through the EVM you can gain an accredited qualification in volunteer management and get involved in a range of networking events.
There is a variety of other vocational qualifications you could choose, such as:
- NVQ levels 3, 4 and 5 Management of Volunteers (awarded by ILM)
- Level 3 Award Managing Volunteers (awarded by NOCN)
- levels 2 and 3 Managing Voluntary and Community Organisations (awarded by NOCN)
- Level 3 Award in Volunteer Management (awarded by Lantra).
If you have a degree, you could take a postgraduate course in for example, volunteer management or community engagement.
You can find networking opportunities, advice and resources on the website of the Association of Volunteer Managers.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To be a volunteer organiser you should have:
- the ability to relate to people from a wide range of backgrounds
- excellent spoken communication skills
- the ability to lead and motivate others
- enthusiasm and a positive, outgoing attitude
- self-motivation and a flexible approach to your role
- a commitment to the issues of your organisation
- tact and patience
- administrative and basic IT skills
- good maths skills for budgeting and keeping accounts.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Volunteer Scotland 
www.volunteerscotland.org.uk
Volunteer Now (Northern Ireland)
www.volunteering-ni.org
Volunteering England
www.volunteering.org.uk
Volunteering Wales
www.volunteering-wales.net
Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
Stowe House
Netherstowe
Lichfield
Staffordshire
WS13 6TJ
Tel: 01543 266867
www.i-l-m.com
Lantra Awards
www.lantra-awards.co.uk
Skills-Third Sector
Centre Court
Atlas Way
Sheffield
S4 7QQ
Tel: 0845 450 3860
www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You can work with local and national voluntary organisations and charities, political parties or pressure groups, and other organisations in the ‘not-for-profit’ sector (such as hospitals, hospices and community health organisations).
Competition for work is strong, especially with well-known charities. There are opportunities all over the UK, although you may find most work is available in cities.
Promotion prospects can depend on the size of the organisation and their finances. Short-term contracts are common and moves are often sideways to a similar position in another organisation. You may need to move to a larger charity in order to gain promotion or a higher salary.
Experience in this post may help you move into related careers, for example in youth and community work, social work or charity fundraising.
You may find the following useful for job vacancies and further reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The community learning and development industry is part of the lifelong learning sector, represented by Lifelong Learning UK Sector Skills Council, which also includes: further education; higher education; libraries, archives and information services; and work‐based learning. The sector as a whole currently employs over 1.2 million people in a range of educational institutions, as well as public and private sector organisations.
The community learning and development industry comprises staff working in community based settings, in for example: community based adult learning; community development; community education; development education; family learning; working with parents; and youth work. Much of the activity in the industry is voluntary.
Key facts:
- There are 334,041 people working in the community learning and development industry across the UK.
- In England, 7% of the workforce is employed full‐time, 45% are seasonal/hourly paid, and 40% work part‐time.
- In England, 91% of the workforce described ‘teaching’ as their main activity.
Jobs in the industry include: community development worker, community education officer, youth worker, youth support worker, youth work manager, family learning practitioners; parenting practitioners.
National and regional data
East Midlands – There are an estimated 17,391 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
East of England – There are an estimated 16,890 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
London – There are an estimated 33,223 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
North East – There are an estimated 10,239 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
North West – There are an estimated 21,499 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
South East – There are an estimated 35,528 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
South West – There are an estimated 20,081 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
West Midlands – There are an estimated 17,914 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 25,810 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
Northern Ireland – There are an estimated 27,212 people in the community learning and development workforce, of which over 72% are female. Around 23,305 are in youth work, of which 91% are volunteers (37% of the volunteers are male). 20% of paid staff in youth work are employed full‐time. There is a shortage of women at senior levels.
Scotland – There are an estimated 58,802 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
Wales – There are an estimated 49,452 people in the community learning and development workforce (including youth workers) in the region.
Career paths
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