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Charting a path to more fulfilling careers and a stronger society

Written by: Alice Clementi, Charterpath
Published on: 7 Dec 2021

volunteers

Pic: Joel Muniz, Unsplash


Did you know only an estimated 10% of UK accountants volunteer their time and skills to non-profits each year?  

At Charterpath our mission is ambitious – to see 50% of all accountants giving two days a year to skills-based volunteering. 


Why? 

Non-profits are facing a perfect storm post the pandemic. Income has reduced with a fall in donations and limits on fundraising events, whilst there is an ever-increasing demand on non-profits for their services. As a result, 1 in 3 charities have had to make redundancies and 1 in 10 charities have warned of potential failure. No wonder many non-profit CEOs are facing exhaustion.  

Non-profits all need volunteers with financial skills. Aside from preparing accounts, they are also critical for evaluating fundraising opportunities, preparing cash flow projections and monitoring processes and controls. However, accountants tend to have busy jobs and are therefore hard to recruit. 

It doesn’t take an accountant to do the maths on this…there has never been a more critical time to volunteer. 


And if you needed another reason…  

Volunteering is more than the feel-good factor, there are proven benefits for the volunteer, including: 

  • Developing new skills  

  • Enhancing your CV 

  • Growing your network 

  • Broadening your horizons  

  • Improving your well-being and self-esteem 


What’s not to like? 

Alice Clementi and Alex Marsh launched Charterpath in 2020 with a view to encouraging more accountants to chart a path into the non-profit sector, whether as trustees, members of risk & audit committees, school governors or part-time consultants. 

The experiences Alice and Alex had in non-profits helped their career paths no end, preparing them for board meetings, meeting individuals who helped support them in their careers and giving them a different dimension to their peers. Whilst it was initially daunting sitting alongside those with many more years’ experience, their relative inexperience helped to provide a diverse perspective – something non-profits are increasingly seeking. 


So what? 

Our mission is three-fold, to: 

  • Inspire accountants of all ages and backgrounds to volunteer their time and skills to non-profits 

  • Connect accountants with volunteering opportunities and resources, as well as a wider support network of other volunteers   

  • Engage with accounting institutions and employers to embed volunteering as a status-quo  

Since January 2021, the Charterpath network of volunteers has grown to nearly 1,000, with numerous accountant volunteers placed into non-profits and several mentoring relationships established. We are looking to kick-off our first in-person events from the autumn. 

Check-out our website www.charterpath.org.uk for: 

  • The benefits of volunteering and FAQS for getting involved 

  • Inspiring stories from previous volunteers 

  • Featured opportunities and a huge selection of resources – including other sites to find opportunities as well as training materials (such as ICAEW!) 

  • Insights on volunteering and the non-profit sector 

You can also take the Charterpath pledge to support our mission by volunteering your skills and time to non-profits twice a year. By joining us you will stay up-to-date with new volunteering roles, events and pro bono mentoring opportunities too. 


So what are you waiting for? Use your skills for good and benefit yourself and others. 

Chart your path. 

 

*The views expressed are the author’s and not ICAEW’s.