Charity begins at home

Charities Aid Foundation

23 September 2007

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People who end up working in the charity sector seem to be influenced by their family structure and often develop an interest at a young age.

According to a survey by think tank nfpSynergy, a quarter of people who choose to work in charitable organisations have already shown an interest in the sector by the age of 15, rising to two thirds of people by the age of 24.

The average age at which eventual charity professionals first become interested in charitable work is 22-and-a-half-years-old.

Despite the fact that only 31 percent of the population is an eldest child, 43 percent of charity professionals were the first born. Conversely, although 59 percent of people are a younger sibling, only 43 percent of these go on to do charitable work.

People who come from small families also seem more likely to end up working for the third sector. While 30 percent of the population have only one sister or brother, a disproportionate 44 percent of charity workers come from such a setup. On the other hand, although 14 percent of people have five or more siblings, only four percent of these children grow up to become charity professionals.

nfpSynergy's Driver of Ideas, Joe Saxton, commented: "Those with older siblings than themselves, or from larger families, are - perhaps - generally less likely to be a child playing a caring or mentoring role.

"This poll possibly suggests that such a formative role may well develop traits of particular relevance to the charity sector."

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