Paul Thompson, director of people and learning at Coach Core Foundation, shares how apprenticeships can help charities close diversity gaps, build inclusive teams, and develop future-ready skills.
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Compared to the private sector – and, more importantly, to society – charities still lack diversity across age, socio-economic background and ethnicity. Only 6% of the voluntary sector workforce are under 25, while 25% are over 55. Employees from ethnically diverse backgrounds make up just 9% of the workforce compared to 13% of the UK population, dropping as low as 4.5% in environmental charities. And for young people aged 16–24 from households with incomes below £16,000, only 7% currently work in the sector – despite 40% saying they would be interested in a charity career.

The impact is clear. A lack of diversity reduces organisational performance and risks eroding trust with the communities we serve. A diverse staff team brings different skills, perspectives and lived experiences, leading to better problem solving, innovation and resilience. Research shows companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to financially outperform others. For charities, there’s also a moral imperative: if our work is rooted in equity and inclusion, shouldn’t our workforces reflect the same values?

At Coach Core Foundation, our purpose is to support organisations – many of them charities, CICs and community organisations with charitable outcomes – to recruit, develop and retain apprentices from under-served communities. Since 2012, we’ve supported over 1,000 young people into roles that not only changed their lives but also strengthened the organisations they joined. Apprenticeships have helped those employers diversify their workforce, grow their services, and bring in new perspectives that improve how they serve their communities.

We also practise what we preach. We’ve had six members of staff on apprenticeships since we became independent from The Royal Foundation, who founded us. Apprentices currently make up 13% of our workforce. Some of these roles were aimed at young people from under-served communities, directly reflecting the young people we support, while others were taken up by existing staff members as part of their professional development. These opportunities are embedded in our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan as a deliberate way of diversifying our own workforce. We’ve also committed to creating two further roles in 2026, again aimed at young people facing barriers to work. And this isn’t just something I talk about: I’m starting my own apprenticeship next month (October 2025) as part of my professional development.

At Coach Core Aminat joined us in 2024 as a Fundraising and Marketing Apprentice. She has brought creativity, energy and fresh insight into how we tell our story, while also gaining the skills and confidence to progress in a sector that can sometimes feel closed off to young people without networks or traditional qualifications. Apprentices like Aminat show how much both the individual and the organisation benefit when we open the door wider.

For charities, apprenticeships provide accessible, paid pathways into roles for people who might otherwise be excluded – those who can’t afford university, or who didn’t thrive in traditional education. They also allow organisations to grow the skills they need for the future. Government figures show employers gain between £2,500 and £18,000 per apprentice during the training period alone, and 92% of organisations say apprenticeships lead to a more motivated workforce.

There are over 600 apprenticeship standards available, far beyond the traditional trades. Charities can recruit or upskill staff in areas such as Business Administration, Event Assistance, Fundraising, Content Creation, or HR Support – all critical skills for the sector.

Charities exist to serve communities and create change. Apprenticeships allow us to do both at once: giving young people a fair start while building workforces that are motivated, skilled, and truly reflective of the people we support. If the sector is serious about equity and sustainability, apprenticeships should be a core part of our workforce strategies, not a missed opportunity.

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Paul Thompson is Director of People and Learning at Coach Core Foundation, a UK charity that helps under-served young people access inclusive sports apprenticeships. He has worked in sport, education and apprenticeships for over 20 years and is a member of Skills England’s Health and Science Route Panel. True to his belief in lifelong learning, he is starting his own apprenticeship in October 2025.

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