NCVO: Key findings from the UK workforce Almanac
NCVO logo for press releases
Unlock Democracy is the joint campaign of Charter 88 and the New Politics Network promoting democratic renewal and active engagement in the political process.
|  |
The Conservatives have opened up an eight-point poll lead after increasing support among key voters. |  |
Wednesday, 31, Oct 2007 12:00
New research reveals challenges for growing voluntary sector workforce
New research has revealed a significant increase in the number of people working for a charity, voluntary organisation or community group in the last decade. The first UK Voluntary Sector Workforce Almanac published today (Wednesday 31 October 2007) by the UK Workforce Hub and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) shows an increase of 26% in the last ten years to a voluntary sector workforce of 611,000 employees, bigger than the number of people working for banks and building societies.
Nevertheless, the UK Workforce Hub’s 2007 Voluntary Sector Skills Survey, also published today, reveals a number of challenges for the sector’s employers with one-quarter reporting hard to fill vacancies within their organisation and skills gaps in IT, legal knowledge and fundraising. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is therefore pressing the Government to back a dedicated Skills Council for the voluntary and community sector.
The voluntary sector has grown at a much higher rate over the last decade (26%) than the private (11%) and the public sectors (14%).
There has been a huge increase (86%) in the number of people working in social care, from 149,000 in 1996 to 277,000 in 2005. Social care now accounts for 54% of the voluntary sector’s employees.
Over two-thirds of the voluntary sector workforce is female (69%), similar to the public sector (64%) but much higher than the private sector (40%).
Nearly one in five people (18%) working in the voluntary sector has a disability, higher than the public (14%) and private sectors (13%).
Part-time employees account for 39% of voluntary sector employment - higher than in the public and private sectors (29% and 23% respectively).
One-third of voluntary sector workers (32%) are employed in workplaces with less than ten employees. This is vastly different to both the private (25%) and public sectors (8%).
One-third of voluntary sector employees (33%) have a degree or equivalent qualification. Between 1996 and 2005 this has increased by 43%.
Janet Fleming, Head of the UK Workforce Hub, said:
“This research reveals a voluntary sector workforce that is characteristically different to ten years ago. Our staff are more likely to be employed in social work in a professional capacity and to be highly skilled. We have a high proportion of employees who are female, working part-time hours and in small workplaces.”
“This presents both challenges and opportunities and means that it is imperative for employers to concentrate on the management of human resources and individual development. With planning and foresight, the growth already experienced will lead to an even more professional and competitive sector.”
Key findings from the 2007 Voluntary Sector Skills Survey include:
Recruitment problems are evident across the sector with 25% of employers reporting hard to fill vacancies, particularly within youth work, social care and health care.
Around 30% of employers reported under-skilled staff. Small organisations are more likely to report skills gaps.
Over 25% of employers reported skills gaps within marketing, strategic use of IT, legal knowledge and fundraising.
Under-skilled staff are leading to an increase in the workload of other employees. 25% use volunteers to cover the work, particularly within smaller organisations,.
40% anticipate that recruitment will get more difficult over the next three years. Nearly 20% expect recruitment of fundraisers to become more difficult.
50% identified that skills gaps were caused by a lack of time and funding for training within their organisation.
Less than 20% of organisations feel that they identify with a single Sector Skills Council, the main support for employers in the UK.
Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), said:
“With the voluntary sector working in an ever more competitive environment, this survey demonstrates the need for a dedicated Third Sector Skills Council. The sector recognises that not enough time is being devoted to the training and development of its employees, yet it does not have the access to the skills support currently available to the public and private sectors. This must be addressed if charities, voluntary organisations and community groups are to build the skilled workforce they need to meet their own aspirations and play a full role in ensuring a fairer and more prosperous country.”
The UK Workforce Almanac and 2007 Voluntary Sector Skills Survey will be launched on Wednesday 31 October at 8.30am – 10.00am at Altitude, Millbank Tower, 24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Phil Hope MP, Minister for the Third Sector, will speak at the launch. The launch is supported by Society Guardian.
The UK Voluntary Sector Workforce Almanac 2007 is based on UK Labour Force Survey analysis from 1996 – 2005, the latest available at the time of analysis. The Voluntary Sector Skills Survey 2007 is a national representative survey of 1,922 voluntary organisations in England. Both reports can be ordered via NCVO’s website at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk.
If you would like to attend the launch or for more information, please contact Pete Moorey in NCVO’s Media Office on 020 7520 2468 or Pete.moorey@ncvo-vol.org.uk.
Notes to Editors
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is the umbrella body for the voluntary sector in England, with sister councils in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. NCVO has a growing membership of over 5,400 voluntary organisations, ranging from large national bodies to community groups, volunteer centres, and development agencies working at a local level. For more information please visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk.
,li>The UK Workforce Hub aims to lead and facilitate action that makes it easier for voluntary and community organisations to: be great places to work; be better employers; and embrace a culture of learning and development. It also promotes the sector as a positive career choice.
The hub is hosted and managed by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) in England, and by its sister councils in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The UK Workforce Hub provides information, resources and signposting to :
1. Encourage more people to come and work or volunteer in the sector
2. Ensure people in the sector can develop the skills they need to do their jobs well
3. Encourage and support organisations to be better employers
4. Enable people to develop leadership and management skills.
For more information, visit www.ukworkforcehub.org.uk or phone 0800 652 5737.
There are six national hubs of expertise: Finance, Governance, ICT, Performance, Workforce and Volunteering. The hubs are part of ChangeUp, the Capacity Building* and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community sector, published by the Active Community Unit in June 2004. ChangeUp's aim is that by 2014 the needs of frontline voluntary and community organisations will be met by support which is available nationwide, structured for maximum efficiency, offering excellent provision, accessible to all, truly reflecting and promoting diversity, and sustainably funded. ChangeUp describes the basic architecture of support which frontline organisations need. For more information please go to www.capacitybuilders.org.uk or call 0121 237 5100.
Capacity building is about ensuring that organisations have the skills, knowledge, structures and resources to realise their full potential.