Voluntary groups, charities and volunteering

Not everything in a community is done by the government. Charities, voluntary groups and volunteers do a huge amount too.

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Voluntary groups and charities

A voluntary group is a group of people who choose to work together for a cause, often without pay, such as a youth club, a litter-picking group or a sports club.
A charity is an organisation set up for good purposes, such as relieving poverty, education, health or protecting animals. Its money must be used for its purposes, not to make a profit for owners.
In England and Wales, many charities must register with the Charity Commission, which regulates them.

What they do

Charities and voluntary groups help people in need, run services such as food banks and helplines, raise money, campaign for change, and bring people together.
Some are huge national charities; others are small local groups.
They are often called the voluntary sector or the third sector, separate from government (the public sector) and businesses (the private sector).
SectorRun byExample
Public sectorGovernment and councilsState schools, the NHS
Private sectorBusinesses, for profitA supermarket
Voluntary sectorCharities and voluntary groupsA food bank

Volunteering

A volunteer gives their time freely, without being paid.
Volunteering helps the community, and volunteers gain skills, confidence, friends and experience for their CV.
Young people can volunteer in many ways: helping at school events, a local charity shop (with permission and the right age), a youth group, or a community garden.
Worked example

Explain one benefit of volunteering for the community and one for the volunteer.

  1. For the community: work gets done that might not happen otherwise, such as running a youth club.
  2. For the volunteer: they gain skills such as teamwork and communication.
  3. Both sides gain.

Answer: The community gets free help (for example, a cleaner park); the volunteer gains skills and confidence.

Key idea

Charities and voluntary groups work for good causes, not profit, and make up the voluntary (third) sector. In England and Wales, the Charity Commission regulates charities. Volunteers give their time freely and gain skills.

Key words
Community
A group of people who share something, such as a place, a faith or an interest.
Charity
An organisation set up for good purposes, such as relieving poverty or protecting animals, not to make a profit for owners.
Volunteer
Someone who gives their time freely, without being paid.
Right
Something you are entitled to, such as education or a fair trial.

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. What must a charity use its money for?

    1. Its charitable purposes
    2. Making profit for its owners
    3. Paying for an army
    4. Funding a political party
    Show the answer

    Answer: Its charitable purposes

    A charity's money must be used for its good purposes.

  2. What does the Charity Commission do?

    1. Runs elections
    2. Registers and regulates charities in England and Wales
    3. Prints banknotes
    4. Hears criminal trials
    Show the answer

    Answer: Registers and regulates charities in England and Wales

    The Charity Commission registers and regulates charities.

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Sources and references

Checked by the GCSE-ready editorial team, 16 October 2026. Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.