Access to Volunteering Fund

We believe it is important that disabled people can access all our volunteering opportunities.

Scope’s Access to Volunteering Fund is an internal fund that allows Scope to meet the cost of the ‘reasonable adjustments’ required enabling disabled people to volunteer with Scope.

What is a reasonable adjustment?

A reasonable adjustment is any adjustment that is required by a disabled person to enable them to take part in volunteering at the same level as a person without impairment such as:

• Providing a certain chair to enable a physically disabled person to operate the till in a Scope shop
• Providing transport to a disabled person to access volunteering if through their impairment they are unable to use public transport
• Providing a hearing loop for a volunteer with a hearing impairment so they can communicate with other staff / volunteers / members of the public.

A reasonable adjustment can be made locally and incur no cost. For example, by being flexible in the times the volunteer starts, finishes or takes breaks can be considered a reasonable adjustment as it enables the disabled person to volunteer around their own requirements.

How does Scope decide what is a ‘reasonable adjustment’?

• The manager and the disabled volunteer need to look at the needs of the individual and what adjustments are required to allow them to volunteer.
• A reasonable adjustment needs to be agreed with the volunteer’s manager.
• A reasonable adjustment ensures disabled people can volunteer with Scope; it is for people who apply for a volunteer role with us or are already volunteering with us.

How to apply for the Access to Volunteering Fund?

• Managers of volunteers can apply for the fund on behalf of the volunteer.
• The volunteer should work with the manager to identify the adjustments they require to allow them to volunteer.

Please note – this fund and is only available to disabled people volunteering with Scope.  

Contact the Head of Volunteering Strategy at Scope if you would like more information on how to establish and run a similar fund in your volunteer-involving organisation.