Apprenticeships for the Voluntary Sector
How much more effective could your organisation be if your team received expert training – for example in fundraising or marketing?
For many organisations, attracting and retaining a great team – including fundraisers, marketers and events staff – is a perennial challenge.
The current economic climate places even greater emphasis on the introduction of structured career paths, deeply diverse and inclusive teams and addressing skills gaps such as digital communications.
Apprenticeships are a high-quality training vehicle that can be used to invest in existing staff or to recruit new team members, with training offered at a range of levels, up to Master’s Degree equivalent.
Apprenticeships are ideal for a voluntary sector in transformation, recovering from the significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Government financially incentivises the use of apprenticeships.

The JGA Group works with voluntary sector organisations operating on a national scale – such as Mencap, Shelter, Victim Support and Youth Employment UK – as well as organisations with a local focus – such as Age UK Richmond upon Thames, Leeds Hospital Charity and St Michael’s Hospice.
We support teams from all communities to gain the knowledge, behaviours and skills they need to excel in their roles, drive forward the organisation’s charitable aims and advance their own careers.
Delivery Model
JGA’s approach involves regular full-day or half-day seminars delivered live online to small groups, supplemented by round tables, expert coaching and pastoral support. Our team consists of skilled professionals in their fields who often continue to work within their specialism.
We work closely with line managers to support the planning and organisation of in-work aspects of apprenticeships, ensuring that the impact is high.
What people say about us
In March 2022, 99% of JGA’s apprentices said coaching was Excellent or Good and 98% said the same about tuition. In the government’s official measure of employer satisfaction 87% report an “excellent” or “good” experience.
I have found the apprenticeship to be really helpful as part of my job role. As I am new to the charity sector, I’ve really appreciated the learning on the course and being taught from experienced professionals. I’ve also enjoyed the opportunity to discuss with other members of the group and finding out how charities fundraise and work.
What does it cost?
For large organisations (with a pay bill of over £3 million) – apprenticeship training can be fully funded by the Apprenticeship Levy.
For smaller organisations:
- The Government funds 95% of the training cost. (This amounts to £7,600 for the Fundraiser apprenticeship, for example).
- 100% of the costs can be Government funded if the apprentice is aged between 16-21 years old. (This amounts to £8,000 Government funding for the Fundraiser apprenticeship, for example).
Find out more about Government funding at: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employers/funding-an-apprenticeship.
Laura Thurlow, our apprenticeship ambassador to the voluntary sector, talks to Tanya White at Charity People about the reasons for charities to consider Government-funded apprenticeship training in Fundraising and more.
Why JGA?
JGA is a well-established provider with 30 years providing specialist vocational training. Our provision was inspected by Ofsted in October 2019 (a strong ‘Good’), and we have a full suite of information security, ISO and other accreditations.
In 2021, JGA received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of Promoting Opportunity through social mobility. JGA was specifically recognised for “creating supportive environments for diverse learners to progress and succeed”.
JGA was also named West London Business Education and Training Provider of the Year 2023 and AAC Creative and Design Apprenticeship Provider of the Year 2023.
Some of our Voluntary Sector Clients:
Get in touch
Get in touch to discuss a free consultation about how apprenticeships can be used to transform your charity’s performance.
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