Rapid rise in recession hit professionals volunteering for hard up charities

Increased numbers of professionals are giving their services to charities as volunteers as a result of insecurity in the financial world.

Increases of up to 200% in the number of lawyers, bankers, accountants and other professionals applying to volunteering organisations have been seen by several philanthropy organisations. Companies and individuals are embracing the call to support third sector organisations that are under pressure. They are also to able benefit themselves due to opportunities provided by the recession, according to experts interviewed by Philanthropy UK.

There has been a three-fold increase in volunteer applications in the last two months compared to the same period last year at The Cranfield Trust, which has a register of around 650 commercial sector managers and management consultants wanting to work with charities.

“In previous recessions people have used volunteering as a way to keep active, and keep their professional skills up to date, as well as making a great contribution to voluntary organisations. This time the effect has kicked in very quickly”, said Amanda Tincknell, chief executive of The Cranfield Trust.

Organisations working with other professionals have also seen increases. Pilotlight London has seen a 9% increase in the number of volunteers in the year up to December 2008. Pilotlight helps small charities recruit professionals from commerce and industry into long-term volunteer placements through membership schemes.

“As well as an increase in individual members coming to us, corporate members have pledged to increase the number of people they send us because it is great value to both employee development and community engagement,” Fiona Halton, chief executive of Pilotlight, told Philanthropy UK.

Corporate and individual members of Pilotlight pay a subscription fee, and their growth indicates the importance those in the business world increasingly place on volunteering.

“Pilotlight is in discussion with companies who are looking at having a flexible working week with employees working one day a week as a Pilotlighter and the rest in their normal role. Pilotlight could also be part of a redundancy package,” Halton said.

Daniela Barone Soares, chief executive of Impetus Trust, which provides high level volunteers as well as venture philanthropy funding to charities, said, “We have seen an increase in the number of people enquiring about volunteering that started last year. On the week Lehman Brothers went out of business we got calls.”

Charities have increased need of expertise in a wide variety of areas due to the recession. Strategic planning advisors, those with experience of mergers and acquisitions, as well as human resources professionals with experience in restructuring and marketing experts are among the key needs. This breadth is matched by a variety of volunteers coming forward.

“There may have been a slight shift toward banking and private equity professionals recently but more significant is the sustained growth in the number of partner level professionals from other industries,” said Barone Soares.

Professionals are looking further afield for volunteering opportunities too. Challenges Worldwide (CWW), an Edinburgh-based organisation that places a variety of professionals in three-month placements abroad has also experienced an increase in applicants during the past year.

“The pool of potential volunteers is growing very quickly. Our challenge is to communicate to this large new talent pool that there are huge opportunities for them to develop through the voluntary sector. This could be a step-change for professional volunteering,” said Eoghan Mackie, chief executive of CWW.

As companies seek creative ways to avoid redundancy, as well as the cost of re-hiring when the economy picks up, employees are demonstrating a lateral approach to maintaining the trajectory of their careers while using the opportunity to give something back.

“Volunteers are appreciated by the organisations they volunteer with and can see that their contribution is making a valuable difference. This may not be the case in their work life at present because things are so uncertain,” suggests Amanda Tincknell.