Inclusive volunteering

Scope believes that disabled people should have the same opportunity to volunteer as non-disabled people.

Since 2005, we have been championing ways to engage disabled people in volunteering which makes it inclusive for all. Our research in 2005, Time to get equal in volunteering: tackling disablism helped to identify the barriers faced by disabled people. We achieved funding from the Big Lottery, Office of the Third Sector and the Department of Health to develop and deliver a programme of enabling more disabled people to volunteer.

From what we have learnt about managing volunteers, through our research and through the Inclusive Volunteering Programme we have lobbied the Government to provide an Access to Volunteering Fund.

Other resources available for inclusive volunteering

Can do volunteering toolkit: a guide to involving young disabled people as volunteers.

The Inclusive Volunteering Programme focused on educating managers of volunteers and developed the Inclusive Volunteering Companion, which is free to download. The Companion gives volunteer involvers the tools and ideas on how to ensure volunteering programmes are open and accessible to disabled people.