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I'm looking to get involved in working in the third sector and wondered if anyone on here works in it and can tell me a bit about it?
If you haven't or don't work in this field please ignore this post. Thanks.
'Third sector' is a pretty broad church. I used to be director of an art gallery - we were non profit and had a voluntary board. We were Third Sector in that respect but possibly not the kind of work you're thinking about.
ask this guy..
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I volunteered a bit years ago and tried to get into it. It appeared to be the same as everywhere else in many respects tho you swap some money for more job satisfaction. As many if not more autocratic/rubbish bosses for instance.
kudos - My better half works in the third sector. She'll be along presently to give you the benefit of her wisdom
Its not a good time to be going into it though. CMD's Big Society ruse (remember that?) has basically translated - as i suspect it was always intended to do - as a lot of third sector groups having their funding slashed from local councils.
As a result of that, its being decimated, with any paid positions being replaced - in happy, community-minded 'Big Society' way - by eager and willing volunteers. All with loads of free time on their hands. All this will be funded by high-minded philanthropists - exactly what the richer members of our society are renowned for
Cynical? Me?
Who's the beneficiaries? In what arena? There's a HUGE gaping difference between working for a large national or regional charity than working at a local level.
I've worked in the 3rd sector for 6 years years now and it seems once you're in its hard to get out!!! My contract is finishing in 3 weeks due to funding cuts, the monies rubbish, you don't get paid over time and never have the time to take your lieu time, at a local level anyway. There is never any money for training, equipment tends to be shoddy and donated, computers are never the most up to date and it takes everyone 3 months to get anything done without having 5 meetings and setting up a steering group..... cynical? Jaded? yes a little....
'Sexy' charities include anything with cancer, kids and animals anything else doesn't attract huge funding or community support unless they have a personal interest in it.
Working for national or regional charities is MASSIVELY different which is where I am aiming at now.
Please feel free to email if you want its debi underscore edwards at hotmail dot com
I work in the third sector and would echo some of the above, but also that your description of wanting to work in "the third sector" is a bit vague to know what to say that might be useful to you - a bit like an ambition to work "in industry".
Depending on what you do, it might or might not seem distinctive - I suspect our office cleaner does the same things she would do if she was cleaning a commercial organisation's office. That said, maybe she gets treated with a bit more respect because we're a bit less status-obsessed than some?
What are the pensions like? Can I join a union and go on strike lots?
Pensions vary - quite a few are in local authority schemes but increasingly they're going the same way as industry - minimum contributions to defined contribution schemes.
Unions widely recognised, strikes happening all the time.
Cheers for the info guys. At the moment I have a bloody migraine so it may take me a while to reply.