The survey of 600 third sector, housing and local government recruiters found that over a third believed a lack of appropriately skilled staff was the greatest pressure they would be facing in 2006, with 88% saying the dearth of skills had increased over the past 12 months.

The need to create and maintain diversity within their organisation and complying with new employment legislation were also sited as key concerns for 22% and 35% of those questioned respectively.

The survey has also suggested that the charity sector is not widening its skills pool beyond traditional catchment areas. More than nine out of ten felt that commercial sector experience was valuable in the
not-for-profit sector, but over 60% had not increased the number of people they took on from outside the sector in the past two years.