Many people have had some contact with the voluntary sector through volunteering, but it is also worth considering the sector as a viable option for career development. It is increasing in size and importance and can offer the chance to develop all of the skills that have usually been thought of as the preserve of the private sector. What makes the voluntary sector more attractive, perhaps, than the private sector is the traditional value it places on people as individuals. Business skills, interpersonal skills and respect for individuals go hand in hand in the voluntary sector.

This book shows that working in the voluntary sector – as a volunteer or as a paid member of staff – can be rewarding in terms of your career, your personal development and your enjoyment. It explains how the voluntary sector works, how to find work, and how to develop your career (or just get real job satisfaction) by working as a volunteer or paid worker. Whether you are starting out from college, returning to work or even working in the private sector and looking for ways to enhance your skills, this book will help you to find the right opportunities.

Thank you to those who helped me: Sue, for her patience, reading drafts, suggesting amendments and challenging my assumptions (and typing out most of the addresses in Chapters 9 and 10); Kathryn, for reading drafts and suggesting amendments; Environ, Greenpeace, Lambeth Shad, The National Autistic Society, Virginia House Settlement and The Winged Fellowship Trust for permission to reproduce their materials; private and public sector employers (from McDonalds to the NHS) for responding to my questionnaire; and all those people who inspired (and sometimes appear in) the case studies.