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Alternative ways of working


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Finding your Profile
Many people are interested in alternative lifestyles and ways of working. For some this might mean looking for a commercial organisation with strong ethical principles. For others it might mean abandoning the world of conventional jobs and living as part of a commune. Whatever ‘alternative ways of working’ means to you, you will still need to clarify your goals, weigh up the issues and plan ahead.

The resources in this page should help you to do so, though you may also find relevant material in the resource pages on Self Employment and Gap Year opportunities.

Most of the sites below are, by their nature, very diverse in content and scope. Please bear in mind that a site listed under one sub-heading may also have material relevant to another section.

General sites & information

  • ‘Alternative Work Styles including Self Employment’ and 'Voluntary Sector Briefing'- AGCAS booklets (from Careers Service)
  • The Ethical Junction is a gateway to the ethical sector for people in the UK and Ireland, giving a focal point for a broad range of ethical issues and trading. Intended primarily to assist consumers of products and services it nevertheless offers many contacts useful for those seeking jobs with organisations committed to sustainable living in sectors as diverse as manufacturing, investment and entertainment
  • United Nations & United Nations Association of GB & Ire
  • Equality and Human Rights Commission
  • ‘How To Find Your Mission In Life’ - section within ‘What Color Is Your Parachute?’ (the leading job hunting book in the USA for the last 25 years) explores ways of relating religious faith to the job hunt. A reference copy of this book is held by the Careers library.
Alternative work / lifestyle networks
  • Working Families offers advice the full range of flexible working arrangements, including part time work, job sharing, flexible working hours, term time working, career breaks, sabbaticals and working from home
  • Fellowship for Intentional Community promotes ecovillages, cohousing, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives and other related projects and dreams
  • UK Co-operative movement
  • LETS - Local Exchange Trading Schemes - are local community-based mutual aid networks in which people exchange all kinds of goods and services with one another, without the need for money
  • Anglican Religious Communities - lists various religious communities that are part of the Church of England in UK and overseas
Business Ethics Charity Recruitment Agencies
  • VolResource information for voluntary and community organisations

Other Voluntary and community initiatives

  • Kingston University Students Union links students with projects in the local community
  • Kingston Volunteer Centre, 50 Canbury Park Road, Kingston, email volunteering@kvc.org.uk has details of many organisations wanting volunteers.