building an inclusive volunteer program. americorps created by president clinton in 1993; expanded...
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Building an Inclusive Volunteer Program
AmeriCorps
Created by President Clinton in 1993; expanded by President Bush
National service organization Emphasizes civic education and
public service. Members work on projects ranging
from public education to environmental cleanup
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Defining Disability
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities
A history or record of such an impairment Being regarded as having such an impairment,
even when no limitations exist Someone who has an association with
someone with a disability
What is a major life activity?
A major life activity is anything an average person can do with little difficulty e.g. walking, seeing, hearing, speaking,
breathing, learning, sleeping, thinking, interacting with others, etc.
What is a “substantial limitation?”
…something that makes it extremely difficult to perform an activity (compared to an average person). Factors to consider:
1) Its nature and severity2) How long it is expected to last3) Its expected long-term impact
Things specifically excluded:
Current drug use is not protected by the ADA
Temporary, non-chronic impairments that do not last for a long time and have little long term impact
Did you know?
19.5 million Americans (roughly 10%) have a disability
Roughly 380,000 Iowans (13.5%) have a disability
Approximately 35% of Americans with disabilities are employed
Why should I build an inclusive volunteer program?
How do I build an inclusive volunteer program?
Recruitment
Think about the image you present of your organization: What do you say in your brochures and
fliers? What images do you put on your
posters and on your website? Where do you go looking for volunteers
to recruit?
Recruitment - Words
“We are an E/O program.” “Qualified individuals with
disabilities and those from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals and conduct all activities in fully accessible settings.”
Recruitment - Words
Use “people first” language person who is deaf, person who is
epileptic, etc. People are defined by their personhood,
not their disability Better yet, just use names instead of
labels!
Recruitment - Images
Include images of people with disabilities performing volunteer work with your organization
Send a message that your organization welcomes and values the contributions of all volunteers!
Recruitment - Formats
Where do you post your volunteer listing? Who can access it?
You can reach a larger audience if you make your information available in multiple formats.
It doesn’t have to be fancy – even picking a bigger font size could help!
Recruitment – where should I go?
Disability organizations College and University offices for
students with disabilities US Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies
Who is a qualified individual?
“Qualified” means that a person can: perform the essential functions of your
volunteer position, and meets whatever certification
requirements you may have. A person may be qualified with or
without accommodations
Who is a qualified individual?
When drafting position descriptions and volunteer postings, remember that someone may be able to perform an essential function in an unexpected way!
Being Inclusive – Descriptions
Ask yourself, what is essential? Why do we have this volunteer
position? What function are volunteers supposed
to perform? Ask yourself, what is marginal?
Could the volunteer trade a problematic task with another volunteer?
The Interview – Good Questions
Can you perform the essential functions of this position, with or without accommodation?
Can you describe how you would perform the following job functions?
How would you…? What would you do if…? How long would it take you to…?
The Interview – Bad Questions
Do you have a disability? Do you have any physical or mental
impairments that would limit your ability to do everything we’re asking?
What medical conditions do you have?
More interviewing hints:
Volunteer that accommodations are available prior to the interview
Remember that not everyone with a disability needs an accommodation
Do not ask for details about a requested accommodation during an interview – just make sure the interviewee knows that reasonable accommodations are available upon request
Ask the same questions of everyone
Disclosure
Remember, every person should have the opportunity to choose to disclose – or not disclose – information about his or her disabilities
People may not disclose for a number of reasons: fear of negative reactions or treatment; belief it isn’t relevant; perceived stigma; fear of gossip, etc.
Disclosure
Information about a disclosed disability must be kept confidential – it can’t be disclosed to other people.
Further disclosure is only appropriate if the individual approves (consider making this verifiable!)
Accommodations
An accommodation is a modification or adjustment to the work environment that enables an individual with a disability to perform an essential function of a job or volunteer position
Accommodations
The Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disabilities Act requires many programs to require reasonable accommodations
Watch the details!
“handicapped” Allegedly derives from a history of
people with disabilities having to beg “cap in hand” because they couldn’t work
“wheelchair bound” Advocates view wheelchairs as a
means for mobility and freedom – not a restriction
Questions? Comments?
For more information, visit:www.serviceandinclusion.org
Thanks for listening!