Charities Overlooking Working-Class Talent: EY Foundation Report
A new report by the EY Foundation reveals a significant class divide in the UK charity sector.
The report indicates that working-class individuals are less likely to secure jobs in charities than in the public and private sectors.
Furthermore, those who do manage to join charity organizations face challenges in advancing their careers.
The report also notes that charity CEOs are disproportionately represented by privately-educated individuals, with this trend being more pronounced in larger charities.
The report by Duncan Exley highlights the issue of charities overlooking talent from working-class backgrounds by hiring within their social circles and class bubbles.
This practice tends to favor the most affluent third of people, limiting diversity and potential.
The research showed that most charities do not track their progress regarding working-class employees or report on their social class.
Out of 100 charities studied, only one reported on the social class of their staff members.
The text discusses the lack of reporting on the social class of board members in a sample of 100 foundations.
Author Philip Exley highlighted the challenges faced by working-class individuals in the charity sector, including limited progression from volunteering to paid positions, lack of professional advocacy, and difficulty accessing London where most large charities are based.