Foundation Course Programme
This course is tailor-made for people considering a job in the charity world. It provides an overview of the voluntary sector and a bridge to help you gain paid employment within it.
It would also be useful to to you if you're intending to set up your own voluntary organisation or are considering joining a charity as a Trustee and want to learn more about the issues involved.
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I felt that the course was incredibly well planned and structured. It was obvious from the outset that it is a tried and tested learning process and that the speakers and facilitators were of the highest calibre in their fields of expertise. |
The programme includes seven full day seminars and workshops spread over several weeks. Each seminar day is participative and you'll be encouraged to use the course as a starting point for exploring the sector.
The combination of theory and group work on the training days is intended to help each individual to gain further insights into how your skills might be usefully applied and where you might best fit in the sector.
We also encourage all delegates to pursue a voluntary work placement after the course and provide guidance on doing this or you can use the optional placement service offered through Angela Mortimer Third Sector Recruitment Agency.
The programme runs over a period of eight to twelve weeks with an average commitment of two days every other week.
Previous participant profiles
We have collated a series of interviews with previous participants of the Foundation Course. To help you decide if the course is right for you, you can read about what previous participants of the course are doing now and what they were doing before they went on it. Read the interviews here.
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There's no better first step if you're looking to move into the voluntary sector. |
Foundation Course Programme
The seminars are delivered by a range of expert trainers from across the charity sector. Seminars on the sector's unique management issues are combined with practical support to help you to find and secure a job in a charity. The programme includes:
Day I: Understanding the charity sector and the role of volunteers
- Size and scope of the voluntary sector and its importance
- Voluntary action and how charities get started
- Governance: the duties and responsibilities of Trustees
Day 2: Jobs in the voluntary sector
- Job opportunities: what they are and how to find them
- Skills assessment
- Developing a CV for the voluntary sector
- Applying for jobs in the sector and guidance on securing a voluntary work placement
Day 3: Marketing and public relations in the voluntary sector
- The role of marketing
- The key elements of public relations
- How charities use the media
Day 4: Developing a fundraising strategy
- How the voluntary sector is funded
- Methods of generating income
- How to make the most of donors and supporters
Day 5: Charitable trust funding and company giving
- Charitable trusts how decisions are made
- Project funding
- How and why companies give to good causes
Day 6: Financial management and governance
- Financial management: the regulatory framework
- Charity annual reports and accounts
- Recruitment, selection and support of volunteers
Day 7: Successful interviews, a springboard for the future
- The recruitment process in the context of Equal Opportunities
- Interview skills
- Goals and actions for future success
Working for a Charity reserve the right to alter the content or order of any course should circumstances make it necessary.
Voluntary Work Placement
Alongside the course we'll provide you with guidance and template forms to help you to research, secure and arrange a voluntary work placement in a charity, if you wish to.
If you'd like some extra support then there is an optional placement service for participants on the Foundation Course. This is provided in partnership with Angela Mortimer Third Sector Recruitment Agency who will arrange the voluntary work placement free of charge to course participants. Download further information on the service (pdf 72kb)
Foundation Course Dates
Summer 2013
The course consists of 7 seminars which are split over several weeks to allow people to work around the course dates.
The seminars for the next Foundation Course will run on the following dates:
- Days 1 & 2: 12-13 June 2013
- Days 3 & 4: 26-27 June 2013
- Days 5 & 6: 10-11 July 2013
- Day 7: 17 July 2013
We also anticipate running a winter course that is likely to start in November 2013. Dates for this course will be posted here as soon as they are confirmed.
If you'd like us to email you when the winter dates are set then please send your contact details to workingforacharity@ncvo-vol.org.uk with 'Foundation Course winter 2013 dates' in the subject line.
Venue: NCVO Society Wharf, 8 All Saints Street, London N1 9RL (nearest station King's Cross)
Pricing
Course Fee: £1094 per person. (10% early-bird discount available if booked at least a month before the course, which makes the cost £985 per person). Includes:
- 7 seminar sessions
- Training manual
- Lunch and refreshments on each seminar day
- Guidance on securing a voluntary work placement or optional placement service
Career support (optional):
In addition to the Foundation Course you can purchase personalised career support sessions with a trained coach or career advisor. These sessions are specifically tailored to supporting a career in the charity sector. They are usually held at the NCVO offices in London but an alternative location can be arranged in liaison with the coach or advisor.
Career coaching session: £300 (+ optional CV report for £120)
A two-hour one-to-one coaching session with a qualified career coach who specialises in the charity sector. This could include discussion of your skills, aptitudes, preferences, CV and career pathway.
Following a career coaching session you may like to revise your CV. For £120 the coach will create a written report on your CV to help you to tailor it to a role in the charity sector.
Interview skills session: £300
A two-hour one-to-one session focusing on and practising your interview skills with feedback from our voluntary sector careers advisor.
All prices include VAT.
Bursary places
A limited number of bursaries, for people who have previously worked in the public sector, are available to cover part of the course fee (this does not apply to career support optional extras). Bursaries are awarded following a written application, and successful applicants will be offered a bursary place, usually at 50% of the course fee. Download information about bursary criteria and how to apply (pdf file, 220kb).
How to book
To book your place please click here.