How to Hire an Apprentice

Have you ever considered hiring an apprentice? If not, it’s an option that’s worth thinking about.

An apprentice can support your fundraising efforts and make a positive contribution to your team but at a significantly reduced cost. What’s not to like about that?

You’ll also have the chance to nurture and support young people as they embark on their journey towards a career in the not-for-profit sector - and you’ll receive support from the government for the privilege. It’s a win-win!

Okay, so how do you hire an apprentice?

The process is different to traditional hiring, with T&Cs to consider. But fear not! We’re going to fill you in…

Apprenticeship? What’s that?

Apprenticeships combine work and academic study. They’re designed to help individuals aged 16 and over gain skills and knowledge within a specific industry or sector.

When hiring an apprentice, you must:

• Pay them at least the national minimum wage

• Have them work with experienced staff members

• Help them learn job-specific skills

• Allow time for study and training during the working week
  

Up to standard?

Apprenticeship standards outline how a specific apprenticeship will be delivered - namely, the duties your apprentice will perform and the skills they’ll need.

The government website provides a list of approved apprenticeship training courses with information such as:

• Level of qualification

• Typical duration

• Amount of funding available

Helpful, right?

Once you’ve chosen an apprenticeship from the options available (Fundraiser level 3, anyone?), you’ll need to find a training provider and an end-point assessment organisation to conduct the final assessment.

Next, it’s time to advertise your apprenticeship.

What should you put in your ad?

The ad must clearly state that the position is an apprenticeship and include relevant information, such as the length, the training on offer, and the organisation supplying the training.

Other than that, the usual job advertisement rules apply. Write and format your ad in line with your brand guidelines and post it on job boards and send it to recruitment agencies. Pretty straightforward really.

Onto the next task…

Candidate selection

Once you’ve received enough applications, it’s time to shortlist the candidates.

Bear in mind that many applicants will be school leavers with little experience in applying for jobs and writing CVs. So maybe cut them a little slack when judging their applications.

Once you’ve decided on the shortlisted candidates, you can move on to the interview stage.

Agree. Commit. Move forward!

As with any hiring campaign, there comes a time when a decision is made, and an individual is offered the vacancy.

At this point, you’re required to create an apprenticeship agreement, including details such as the start/end date, the qualification being worked towards, and the amount of training provided.

In addition, you, your apprentice and the training provider need to sign a commitment statement outlining the training schedule, what is expected from each of the stakeholders, and how queries or complaints can be resolved.

If you’d prefer not to create bespoke agreements and commitments, there are templates available.

Once completed, you’re ready to move onwards and upwards with your new apprentice.

Ready to hire an apprentice?

If you’re looking to recruit an apprentice for your fundraising organisation, we can help. Get in touch on 0203 750 3111 to get the process started.

7 ways to make your volunteers feel valued

Whether they work hard behind the scenes at events, raise awareness in the local community, or work directly with beneficiaries, volunteers play a critical role in your charity’s success.

Recognising and rewarding them is fundamental to your volunteer retention strategy. They’re giving up their precious time to help you after all.

So, what can you do to make them feel valued? Here are 7 top tips to get you started…

1. Show them they’re part of the team

Volunteers are an integral part of your organisation, not an add-on service, so make them feel that way. This can be done very simply by sending them newsletters, including them in staff emails, and inviting them to staff events.

Also, just as you would have 1:1’s/check in meetings with staff, do the same for volunteers. It can be a short check-in call to check they’re happy and getting the support they need, and it’s a key opportunity to thank them for their hard work.

2. Match tasks to volunteers’ skills

Volunteers shouldn’t be bored. They should feel engaged, useful, and excited to help you out. A way to do this is to place each volunteer in a job that makes use of their talents and potential.

Ask them where their interests and talents lie. For example, if one of your volunteers is artistic, get them involved in the design of posters and flyers to promote your events. If someone else thrives on social interaction, have them make thank you calls to donors, or attend community events that are raising money on your behalf.

3. Show them the impact of their work

Volunteers give up their time as they want to make a difference, so it’s important that they understand the value of what they do. For example, a homeless charity in Scotland puts stickers on the envelopes of letters sent out by their fundraising volunteers. This way, when funds came in, they can tell how much was raised directly through the volunteer’s efforts.

4. Organise social events

Everyone loves a good party, so why not organise them periodically to show your volunteers how important they are? They don’t have to be flashy and expensive. Prosecco and nibbles on a Friday afternoon in the office is a great way to show your gratitude.

Volunteers will appreciate the effort and enjoy the opportunity to get together, particularly if paid employees are there too.

You could also organise lunches for your volunteers to say thank you. You could order in a load of pizza or ask each person to bring in an item to share and have an office picnic.

5. Offer rewards and training

Sign-up for a rewards scheme such as Tempo, and your volunteers can earn digital time credits that can be redeemed for rewards, such as free cinema tickets or exercise classes. A handy little perk, these rewards are funded by businesses that want to give back to their local communities, so it won’t cost you a penny.

You can also help your volunteers develop their skills with training. Alongside in-house seminars, mentoring and on-the-job training, the Open University has a wide selection of useful courses, including one on working in the voluntary sector.

6. Give and receive feedback

Asking volunteers for feedback is extremely worthwhile, as they’re in a great position to see things that paid members of staff might not, such as improvements to processes. Don’t forget to ask if there’s anything they need to perform their roles better.

Volunteers are often very close to beneficiaries as well—sometimes they have used your charity’s services themselves or have a loved one or close friend who has been affected by your cause. So, if you have volunteers with long service who have the right experience, it could be valuable to ask them to join key meetings to share their opinions and feedback.

It goes without saying, if you do this, make sure they’re taken seriously, and take their ideas on board where possible.

7. Write LinkedIn endorsements

LinkedIn endorsements are the online equivalent of letters of recommendation. By writing these, you can highlight specific skills the volunteers have demonstrated, and this will be public on their profile for future employers. Encourage your staff to endorse them as well to make them really feel appreciated.

Final Word

You can recognise and reward volunteers in many ways. But make sure you have a proactive, consistent plan and don’t let it be an after-thought. Be fair in your treatment of volunteers and, above all, be sincere in your appreciation.

Volunteers are exceptionally valuable to charities, so celebrate them as much as you can.

If you want more advice on finding volunteers, or you’re looking for talented, paid fundraisers for your team, give us a call on 0203 750 3111.

Is Your Charity Taking Advantage of the Social Value Act?

Every year, the UK government spends £292 billion on goods, work and services from external suppliers, including charities.

How do you make sure your charity is one of them?

The easiest way is to understand the Social Value Act and how you can use it to your advantage.

What is the Social Value Act?

The Social Value Act was first introduced in 2012. Under this law, publicly funded organisations and companies providing services to the public have to think about the social, economic, and environmental impacts of how they spend their money, and how their spending can improve wellbeing.

The goal of the legislation was to make sure public money was spent in a smart and beneficial way.

Last year, the Procurement Policy Note came into effect (an amendment to the Social Value Act). In a nutshell, the update says that public bodies stating they have corporate and social responsibility policies and programmes will no longer cut it. The direct social impact of the policies must be evidenced.

The update also outlined specific areas that the government wants to focus on: COVID-19 recovery, tackling economical inequalities, fighting climate change, advancing equality of opportunities, and improving wellbeing.

What does this have to do with charities?

The Social Value Act was brought in to make sure that when publicly funded organisations and companies offering public services pay external groups for goods, work, or services, they’re choosing organisations which do good for the world and their communities.

This is where charities come in. Having stronger requirements for public organisations when it comes to social value means that they have a much higher incentive to work with charities.

If you are in a position to put yourself forward for contracts/opportunities, you can use the Social Value Act’s requirements to help you stand out from the competition.

For example:

• Emphasise your local links. The Social Value Act is all about benefiting communities. This is easier on a local level.

• Show evidence of your impact. Now that this is a requirement for organisations, it’ll help if this information is available and easily accessible. It shows you know what you’re doing and that you can make their job easier if you end up working together.

• Link your projects and skills to the areas the government wants to focus on.
  

Where do I start?

• Websites like whatimpact and the Gov.UK Contracts Finder can help you find the right partners to work with.

• Read the VCSEs: A guide to working with government guidance: a government guide for voluntary, community and social enterprise groups.

• If you’re likely to be working with big contracts, make sure you get comprehensive legal advice from a firm that’s up to date on rules, regulations, and best practices.
  

Even with these resources, competing for contracts can be tough. More than anything, you need the right staff. And that’s where we come in. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out how we can help.

Busting the Myths: Job Hunting

When you’re job hunting, do you find that everywhere you turn, people are offering you advice? ‘Don’t bother looking for a job over the summer, everyone’s away’… ‘Apply for as many jobs as you can. It’ll improve your chances.’… ‘Cover letters don’t matter. Focus on your CV’.

As helpful as people are trying to be, some of the advice is just plain wrong.

Here are seven common myths about landing a job - debunked.

1. Charities stop recruiting over the summer

Many people think that hiring grinds to a halt at certain periods – such as over the summer or over the Christmas holidays.

But the truth is people leave their jobs and/or change roles all the time, and they need to be replaced.

Roles that were being recruited for in the spring may still be sourced over the summer. In other words, your dream job could pop up anytime, so keep looking!

2. Cover letters don’t matter

We hate to break it to you, but cover letters are still an integral part of the job search.

Why? Your CV gives an account of your work experience, skill sets and core competencies. But your cover letter humanises you.

It’s not a silver bullet, but, if it’s well written, a hiring manager may spend more than 6 seconds reviewing it. So, every time you apply for a position, send a customised, well-written cover letter. Make it compelling and fun to read and you may well be onto a winner.

3. Changing jobs regularly is frowned upon by employers

Today, employers appreciate that people switch jobs. Where people used to stick at one job for life, it’s common for people to change jobs between 10 to 15 times during their career, with the average tenure being 4.6 years.

Employers recognise this. They know that to “climb the ladder”, employees have to change jobs regularly – within reason! A series of 3-month stints will be hard to explain as anything but job hopping, so be careful!

4. You’ll have a tough time getting a job if you’re over a certain age

Ageism hasn’t been eradicated, but the workplace has changed drastically in the last 30 years. People over 50 are no longer seen as ‘old’ – they’re seen as seasoned and experienced. And this is what many employers are looking for.

Employees (of any age) need to have tactical skills and a strategic mind. In addition, the right attitude and temperament goes a long way. Bring these qualities to the table and your age won’t matter one bit.

5. You need to tick every single box on the job and person specification to get selected

We’ve seen many job seekers talk themselves out of applying for jobs because they didn’t meet every listed requirement.

The fact is, in the same way, you’ll never find the “perfect” job, it’s highly unlikely a charity will find the perfect candidate, in as much as they are an exact match for every qualification.

Many times, it’s the top 2 - 3 qualifications in the job description that carry much of the weight. Over and above that, proactivity, creativity, and a willingness to learn can carry you far.

6. The more jobs I apply for, the greater my chances of landing a job

Nope. Employers can spot a generic, mass application a mile off, and they do not go down well. In fact, they’re usually filed in the ‘bin’.

Employers look for applications that are tailored to their organisation and job opening, from candidates who have done their research and clearly demonstrated why they would be great for the role.

The bottom line is, sending out more applications probably won’t increase your chances of getting a job, but sending out better quality ones will.

7. If I haven’t heard back within a few days of applying, I didn’t get it

The recruitment process can be a lengthy one. Approvals for each stage of the process can drag on. This is often because several levels of management may need to approve the shortlist of resumes to call in for interviews. Or sometimes a crucial person may be off sick, or on holiday.

Also, a top candidate may drop out of the process for some reason, which can set everything back.

So, keep answering the phone in a friendly voice and checking your messages frequently. The sorting, selecting and responding can often take weeks or more.

If you’re concerned, you can always send a polite email or call to follow up. Contrary to popular belief, this won’t annoy employers. It’ll show you’re keen and interested in the role.

Caveat: It goes without saying, don’t hound them every day for an update. You want to seem keen, but play it cool at the same time!

Need some help finding your dream fundraising job? Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get started.

Why Redeployment Should Be Part of Your Recruitment Strategy

You’ve got a new fundraising vacancy to fill. It’s an exciting opportunity for somebody to come on board and make a positive impact on your charitable endeavours. You’ve got the job and person spec written, and you’re about to post it to job boards and recruitment agencies.

But wait … before you do, have you considered redeployment?

It may not be the first thing that springs to mind when a vacancy opens up at your charity. But it’s an option worth considering.

Let's look at the reasons why redeployment should be part of your recruitment strategy.

What is ‘Redeployment’?

Before we delve into the reasons why you should make redeployment part of your recruitment strategy, let’s look at what it is.

In a nutshell, redeployment is the act of moving an existing employee from one role to another. It could be a move to another department or a promotion within their current one. The new role may be similar to the staff member's current position or a complete sidestep from what you originally hired the individual to do.

Regardless of the level of change involved, redeployment is something to consider when recruiting for your charity, and here’s why…

Reduced Costs

Hiring new staff members incurs costs. You need to budget for the hiring process itself, as well as training and onboarding, equipment and uniform, pensions and national insurance contributions. This is not an exhaustive list, but you get the picture.

Then there’s the time commitment required from HR and management to conduct interviews, onboard the new recruit and ensure all the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed.

There are still costs associated with redeployment, but they’re small in comparison.

There’s no need to spend time and resources conducting interviews and inductions, and the level of training required to get your current employee up to speed in their new role will be considerably less than for new recruits.

Employee Retention

The success of your not-for-profit organisation is reliant on the time and effort put in by your team, who work hard to ensure the charity maintains positive relationships with donors and continues to attract new supporters.

You likely have a high-performing fundraiser within your ranks that has shown an interest in progressing through the organisation. So why not offer them the opportunity to take on the new role, instead of hiring externally?

If you keep bringing in new people to fill positions when you have individuals who are willing and able to step up to the plate and thrive, you risk losing your talent to competitors.

Staff Morale

A happy workforce is a productive workforce. Showing your team that you value their work and are committed to supporting their career growth is a big morale booster.

In the same breath, there may be individuals that wish to reduce the level of responsibility they currently have. Redeployment can help you reshuffle your organisation to suit the needs of your employees.

Redeploy Over Employ

The above are just a few reasons to consider redeployment over seeking new candidates from outside your organisation. However, if you’re looking to hire externally, we’re on hand to help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get the ball rolling.