Over-50s recruitment programme Charity Interns has relaunched as the Well Placed, a not-for-profit community interest company, following a six-month pilot.
NCVO announced last May that it was hosting Charity Interns, a scheme created by Maya Bhose that offered paid placements to interns over the age of 50 at five charities.
The pilot programme ran from October 2023 to April this year and involved six women placed at Age International, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, the British Heart Foundation and Disability Equality Scotland.
Four of the six participants secured longer-tem roles at charities before the pilot finished, its impact report says, with the experience boosting their confidence when applying for jobs.
Tackling skills shortages in charities
The Well Placed is now offering 20 six-month paid internships to over-50s with experience in marketing for commercial organisations in areas such as fundraising, campaigns and membership.
Placements will be at charities including Age UK and the Women’s Institute and aim to offer a pathway into a career in the charity sector while addressing unemployment among the over-50s and skills shortages.
Bhose said: “The Well Placed was my response to the challenge I faced trying to move from a senior commercial to a charity marketing role – I felt I had so much to offer but my skills weren’t seen as transferable.
“What we want to do at the Well Placed is bridge that gap – offer over-50s a chance to turn their expertise into purpose and help charities find a solution to their skills shortages. It’s a win-win.”
Peter Reeve, interim chief executive of Charity HR Network, said: “From an HR perspective the charity skills shortage is often exacerbated by a refusal from hiring managers to compromise on the knowledge and experience requirements of their ideal candidate.
“If we can’t compete financially and we don't train our own, it’s not entirely clear where these candidates are going to come from.
“The Well Placed is a solution I feel charities should grasp with both hands”.
Applications for the internships close on 12 July, with interviews scheduled for September and placements due to start in November.
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