New Charity Interns project will be hosted by NCVO and offer paid internships to people aged over 50.
Charity Interns will explore new routes into voluntary sector employment for people who may not have experience in the sector. An initial pilot programme will run between late 2023 and early 2024. Up to six candidates aged over 50 will be placed on a six-month paid internship with a charity.
The voluntary sector is currently facing recruitment challenges and skills shortages. Charity services and staff are also being stretched by ever-increasing demand, rising costs and falling income. Charity Interns will help address these issues by tapping into a wider and potentially overlooked talent pool. The project will also support inclusion in the voluntary sector and counter negative stereotypes around older workers.
Internships are generally seen as pathways for younger people to gain skills, enter work or retrain. However, older workers also need supported routes into our sector. Many people aged over 50 have relevant transferable skills and knowledge but find it hard to access charity careers. They want to make a difference but don’t know how.
Charity Interns will be incubated by NCVO. The project will operate independently but within our governance structures. It’ll also be supported by a number of partner organisations.
Alzheimer’s Society has been announced as the first of four internship partners. They’ll host interns taking part in the pilot programme later this year. Charity Interns is actively seeking three further partner organisations to take part.
Recruitment specialists Charity People are also backing the project and have supported its development. They’ll also help recruit interns for the pilot following the official recruitment launch in late June.
Charity Interns will formally launch on 29 June 2023 with a live streamed event. Internship applications for the six-month pilot programme will also open on this date.
For more information visit the Charity Interns website or email maya@charityinterns.com.
