What’s Happening in the Third Sector?
How can we make volunteering more inclusive for people with disabilities?
The 2023 NCVO Time Well Spent report found that due to both practical and attitudinal challenges, volunteers with disabilities are less satisfied than volunteers without disabilities. However, 75% of respondents reported that volunteering directly improved their mental health and wellbeing.
It is often those who would receive the greatest benefit from volunteering who are least likely to be able to take part. Through increased understanding and inclusivity, this can change. We need to work on removing any and all barriers to volunteering.
During season 2 of our TeamTalk podcast, we sat down with Piers Martin. Chris, Imo and Piers discussed an array of different topics, but one standout theme was the fact that there’s still a long way to go in the process of recognising the fact that people with disabilities have real access problems within sport and physical activity. Piers mentioned the fact that it’s important that there is representation among the decision-makers to ensure that inclusivity is always at the forefront of your operations. You can find that whole episode on Spotify, or YouTube (with subtitles).
When it comes to advice for improving access to volunteers with disabilities, NCVO’s senior consultant for volunteering, Helen Tourle, suggests the following:
- Increase understanding and knowledge
Offer training to build confidence, knowledge, and tackle any existing unconscious bias on the topic. Don’t have existing resources? Try approaching local organisations who are experts on the subject to help you out. - Make it easy to get involved
Take a look at your current offer. Is it inclusive and accessible? Consider the journey for a volunteer with a disability, from their registration to logging hours and coming back for more. - Offer flexible options
Flexibility is vital. Offer opportunities that don’t require set hours, a set location, or a set time commitment. Offering volunteering opportunities from home can be a great way to improve access. - Understand skills and motivations
Get to know your volunteers, their reasons for volunteering, and any access/support needs they might have. Remember that not everyone who requires additional needs will identify as having a disability.
Read more on this topic: Inclusivity is a Necessity: Enabling Volunteers with Disabilities
Is Your Pool of Volunteers Diverse and Inclusive?
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