{"id":10656,"date":"2026-07-22T14:18:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T13:18:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=10656"},"modified":"2026-07-22T14:18:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T13:18:55","slug":"eleanor-smith-from-english-literature-to-the-charity-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2026\/07\/22\/eleanor-smith-from-english-literature-to-the-charity-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Eleanor Smith: From English Literature to the Charity Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I went to the University of Manchester to study English Literature with French and graduated from my BA in 2021. I went on to do a master\u2019s degree in English Literature with American Studies, graduating in December 2023.<\/p>\n

Whilst still completing my Masters, I found a job as the Volunteer Coordinator for Age UK Salford and Trafford. I have been in this role for nearly 3 years, and my opportunities and network continue to grow.<\/p>\n

What it means to be a Volunteer Coordinator<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am responsible for publicising volunteering roles, recruiting and onboarding suitable volunteers, and managing my volunteer base of over 150 people across 15 services and 6 locations. Something I love about my job is how many people I am able to positively impact every day I show up to work. I get to help provide high quality care and support to our service users by finding compassionate, hardworking, enthusiastic volunteers. I can help alleviate my colleagues’ workload by securing sufficient volunteer support for each activity. And I get to play a really valuable role in the lives of my volunteers. People come to volunteer for a plethora of reasons, and I have worked hard to build a volunteer programme that meets as many of those needs as possible. I help my volunteers meet people and feel embraced as part of their local community. I put work into sharing their impact back to them and making sure that they feel recognised and appreciated as a key part of our organisation. I take pride in writing glowing references for my volunteers looking for a pathway into work and sharing job roles before they hit the boards.<\/p>\n

As well as supporting Age UK Salford and Trafford, I act as the Community Hub Volunteer Coordinator which means I provide volunteer related support and advice to charities in the Urmston area, and across Trafford more broadly. Thanks to this work, I have an expansive network of third sector contacts which I am very grateful for.<\/p>\n

How my course prepared me for this role<\/strong><\/p>\n

English Literature develops your communication skills, something very necessary when your work requires you to manage and network with a large community of people. It is also a subject that I believe deeply develops your empathy and understanding of other people. English Literature is also frequently political, philosophical, humanistic, and I believe it creates or attracts people with a strong sense of social responsibility that can often drive you towards charitable pursuits. Throughout my time in the charity sector, I have met a real abundance of English Literature graduates to back up my theory!<\/p>\n

Making the most of opportunities and support<\/strong><\/p>\n

I appreciated the University of Manchester for supporting me throughout my academic journey and offering me fast tracked entry to a master\u2019s degree, which gives me a real advantage as a professional candidate. Additionally, while the group I volunteered with no longer operates, I was very grateful for the opportunity to get involved in Student volunteering during my studies. As a Volunteer Coordinator, I am constantly advocating for how volunteering is an unbelievable asset to your professional journey, giving you experience, confidence, and professional references. Before I had even graduated, my volunteering for Greater Manchester Nightline gave me experience managing a committee of 25, overseeing an organisation of 150, writing Service Level Agreements and liaising with Stakeholders, creating and carrying out 8-week training programmes with biweekly lectures, external speakers, and cumulative assessments. I had been trained and trained others in safeguarding, suicide awareness, rape and sexual assault sensitivity, and how to effectively signpost. I had travelled cross-country to partake in National Conferences with other organisations. Despite only ever being in a paid position in retail, my degrees and my student volunteering combined were extensive enough to secure me the first job position I applied to as a graduate.<\/p>\n

Looking to the future<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the moment, I am loving working in the charity sector. I love how rewarding my work is, and I love how many amazing people I get to know and work alongside. The longer I have been in this position, the more opportunities have been shared with me, and I feel so proud to have established myself in this sector. Looking into the future, I would love to return to academia to pursue a PhD and my long-term goal would be to work as a professor.<\/p>\n

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+44 (0) 161 306 6000<\/p>\n

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