Charity work and social care

How do I get into it?

• Charityjob – career advice
  Includes role profiles, skills assessment, jobsearch tips, advice for career starters and changers, and more.
• Prospects
  Graduate careers site with information on:
  Job sectors: Charity and voluntary work
  An overview of the sector and links to detailed profiles for graduate jobs.

Jobs and employers

• Charities Directory
  Searchable directory organised by specialism.
• CharityJob
  Advertises paid and voluntary roles.
• Charity People
  Recruitment consultants specialising in the third sector.
• Third Sector Jobs
  Opportunities nationwide and some international.
• Voluntary sector jobs
  Charity and third sector jobs across the UK.

Further information

• Charity Commission for England and Wales
  Government body which regulates and supports charities in England and Wales.
• Charityjob blog
  Includes news and think pieces from the sector.
• Charity Times
  Business and management magazine for non-profit professionals.
• Third Sector
  News from the voluntary sector. Sign up for news summary email alerts.

How do I get into it?

• ELRHA (Enhancing Learning & Research for Humanitarian Assistance)
  Information on humanitarian careers including how to get a job in the sector.
• Prospects
  Graduate careers site with information on:
  Job options: International aid/development worker
  Detailed profile with routes into the career, sources of vacancies and more.

Jobs and employers

• British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND)
  Jobs, internships and volunteering in the UK and internationally.
• CharityJob
  Paid and voluntary opportunities in the UK and overseas.
• Department for International Development (DIFD)
  Opportunities with DIFD, including their graduate scheme.
• Eldis
  Aggregates vacancies from development agencies worldwide.
• United Nations
  Opportunities worldwide.
• World Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (WANGO)
  Includes a searchable directory of NGOs worldwide.

Further information

• Department for International Development (DFID)
  UK Government department working to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty.
• Development Studies Association
  Networking point for the development studies community in the UK and Ireland. Student membership available free for the first year.
• Institute of Development Studies – A good place to start
  The IDS guide to navigating international development resources online. Free to download at this link.
• International Development Network (IDN)
  Free networking and information resource for people with an interest in international development. Hosted by the Royal Town Planning Institute.
• Overseas Development Institute
  Independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues.

How do I get into it? 

• British Association of Social Workers (BASW)
  Job hunting advice, interview tips and more.
• Prospects
  A graduate careers website with information:
  Types of jobs
  Probation Officer
  Social Worker
  Job sectors
  Social Care

Frontline took time out from the 2018 Careers Fair to talk about their graduate and study/training opportunities, what they look for from applicants, and how to make your applications stand out from the crowd.

Jobs and employers

Probation service

• Civil Service jobs
  Search for opportunities in HM Prison and Probation Service.
• Prison and probation jobs
  Links to online application forms for Probation Officer and Probation Service Officer roles.

Probation Officer roles are also advertised via external agencies. Use aggregator sites like Adzuna Adzunaand Indeed to find these.

Social services

• Charityjob
  Paid jobs and voluntary opportunities in over 50 different charity sectors.
• Compass Jobs Fair
  The leading recruitment events for the social work and social care sector.
• Community Care
  The major magazine of the Social Care sector. Includes a jobs page.
• Guardian jobs - Social Care
  Job vacancies UK-wide.

Further information

Publications

• Probation Quarterly
  The magazine of the Probation Institute. Download pdf copies for free.
• Professional Social Work
  Published by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW). Available by subscription or free to members.

Regulatory bodies

• Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
• Health and Care Professions Council (England)
• Scottish Social Services Council
• Northern Ireland Social Care Council
  Regulatory bodies register social service workers, set standards for their practice, conduct, training and education, and support their professional development.

Other links

• British Association of Social Workers (BASW)
  The largest professional association for social work in the UK. Student membership available.
• Department of Health: Social Care
  Information from central government on current policy and issues in the social care sector.
• NACRO
  Working with individuals and the community to enable social inclusion and reduce crime.
• NAPO
  The trade union, professional association and campaigning organisation for Probation and Family Court staff. Also offers professional development and networking opportunities.
• National Probation Service
  A statutory criminal justice service that supervises high-risk offenders released into the community.
• Social Work bursaries - NHSBSA
  The NHSBSA administer bursaries for Social Work students.