Working with Charities and Social Enterprises: Stories and Tips from Oxford Alumni
If you are passionate about a cause, want to make made a tangible difference and are keen to make an impact, working with a charity or public enterprise could be the right choice for you.
Charities do not seek to make profits, and are usually funded through donations and grants. Social enterprises are businesses which trade for a social/environmental purpose, reinvesting profits to further this purpose.
There is a huge range of causes served, and workplaces range from small start-ups to big organisations with a more corporate culture. Charities and social enterprises have the same range of job roles as any organisation, such as marketing, HR, PR, IT, project management, fieldwork, finance, policy, and research. Charities often also have an extensive fundraising or ‘development’ department and can operate as social enterprises, getting some or all of their income from running a business.
Read the below career stories from Oxford University alumni for insights into what roles in charities and social enterprises involve, the trajectory your career could take, and tips for breaking into the sector.
Madeleine O’Connor - Outreach and Communications Officer, Oxford Hub
Biological Sciences, New College, 2020
What: Oxford Hub brings people and organisations together to conduct a wide range of community volunteering programmes. As outreach and communications officer, I coordinate the charity’s communications (including creating social media content and attending publicity events) and support the Crankstart and Lloyds Scholars. As I was a Crankstart scholar myself, it’s wonderful to be able to give back to other scholars by hosting events, one-on-one meetings and exclusive work experience opportunities.
Why: Throughout my degree, I was always drawn to opportunities that involved making a positive social impact; I helped at public engagement days at museums, and I loved access and admissions work. I found these experiences confidence-boosting and fulfilling, leading to the conclusion that I should pursue a career in the charity sector. I first heard of Oxford Hub through the Student Union and volunteered on their environmental programme Forest Schools which connected local children with the natural world.
Advice: The best way to demonstrate that you’re a proactive, changemaking person is to get out there and volunteer. University is a brilliant place to get involved, as there are so many college initiatives, university start-ups and like-minded people to connect with, so make the most of it during quiet terms!
It’s noticeable when student volunteers are dedicated; a great way to get stuck in might be writing a blog post for a charity in the vacation all about your volunteering experience or representing them at the Freshers Fair. This can lead to great character references for future job applications. Finally, the Careers Service one-on-one sessions are excellent: they’re great for CV advice and gave me motivating and personalised support when applying for my current role.
Beth Kume-Holland - Founder and Company Director, Patchwork Hub
BA History, Pembroke, 2013
What: Patchwork Hub is an accessible employment platform for anyone whose personal circumstances prevent them leaving the house. Through the online platform, a person can connect with employers offering tasks, projects or permanent employment. They can connect with training to upskill themselves and easily access the centralised resources and support they need.
How: I started Patchwork Hub after realising the number of highly-skilled people with various health conditions or personal circumstances that are working unsustainably or unable to work a conventional job. These are people who want to work for themselves and use their skills to build their career and income but there was no platform they felt able to use. I have been working hard with leading businesses, national charities and governments to develop this service and I love the work I get to do. I am also the audience and market insights lead for Scope, the national disability charity.
Why: The idea for Patchwork Hub arose from the disability advocacy work I got involved in after my disappointing experience as a disabled graduate student at Harvard University. I was so tired of faceless corporations having monopoly of tech platforms; I met so many disabled persons fed up of ‘disabled’ people always being an afterthought – a wheelchair logo and a separate category added on it at the end of a document. So, I wanted to create something suitable for all users.
With the projected growth of online talent platforms in the next five years, I feel strongly that an accessible social enterprise, with sustainability and inclusion at its core, should be one of the market leaders. Accessibility doesn’t always have to be an afterthought – it can and should be fully integrated into the future of work.
Top tips: It’s OK to have no idea what you want to do or which sector you want to enter. Think about your passions, your motivations for the work you want to do and take as many opportunities as you can to try things out. Volunteering in the third sector is a great way to do this, you’ll gain usable insights and experience of what you enjoy but will also be putting your time into something impactful. If you’re looking for experience in the third sector and start-up world, come and volunteer with us.
The ‘learn, do, retire’ model of work is no more and I think now it’s about taking opportunities in their various forms, working hard but staying kind.
Looking for more?
The alumni profiles above were originally featured in the 2022 Oxford Guide to Careers.
For more alumni career stories, tips on how to build applications that stand out, how to improve employability skills, and more, read the Guide.
