What’s Happening in the Third Sector?
The Rise of a Shadow Workforce
Charities are leaning more than ever on volunteers to keep vital services running, with unpaid roles up 16% in the past year, new analysis from CharityJob shows.
Last year, research by the Charity Finance Group showed that 61% of charities expected to reduce staff, while 80% were already looking at ways to cut costs. On-site opportunities saw the biggest jump (up 20%), while remote roles remain the most popular with applicants. Growth is strongest outside London, with volunteer posts in Yorkshire and the Humber up 63%.
While there are concerns about charities relying too heavily on a ‘shadow workforce’, Raya Wexler, co-founder of CharityJob, said demand for volunteers is growing nationwide. Volunteering is increasingly valuable in a tough jobs market. It offers young people, career changers, and those seeking flexibility a way to gain skills, confidence, and experience.
Sport England launches new research priorities
Sport England has published its first Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) to help tackle inequalities in sport and physical activity.
Covering 20 key questions, from how people think and feel about being active, to the impact of climate change, the ARIs are designed to guide research, highlight evidence gaps, and encourage collaboration.
Researchers, practitioners and policymakers are invited to get involved, especially those focusing on under-represented groups, with the aim of building a stronger, more inclusive evidence base to shape future policy and practice.
Find out more on the Sport England website.
Too soon for Christmas?
Look, we don’t want to think about Christmas yet either! But we have to give a special mention to a local campaign that aims to help families battling food poverty in Stockport.
Started in 2020, the Secret Santa Hamper supports families in Stockport facing food poverty over Christmas. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, sponsors, and community donations, more than 2,000 hampers have been delivered to children and their families over the years.
To mark the initiative’s fifth anniversary, they have the ambitious goal of raising £15,000 to provide 1,000 hampers across the borough. Every penny raised goes directly towards food and they’ve already managed to surpass their target amount!
As a Manchester-based company, we love to see generosity like this in our local community – especially when it involves some amazing volunteer work. Good luck to them this Christmas.
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