By Orana
(Non government organisation)
Creating opportunities for people with disability to live and work within their local community, fulfill their dreams and become valued and productive community members.
Project implemented: April 2020
Project goal
Volunteerability will lead an inclusive community by supporting organisational practices and growing opportunities for all volunteers.
Delivering on
Volunteering Strategy for SA focus area: 1
UN Sustainable Development Goal: 10
Why this project is important
Volunteerability aims to create more inclusive communities in South Australia by supporting the inclusion of volunteers with disabilities in volunteer organisations.
Volunteers with a disability will receive one on one support to find a meaningful volunteer role that suits their interests, skills and availability.
Organisations will be provided with the confidence and skills to engage people with disability as volunteers. Support is provided through training, resources and assistance to identify and address barriers to inclusion. This will assist organisations to promote diversity, enhance inclusive practices, encourage community participation and express their values.
Key steps to make it happen
People with disability have been involved in all steps of planning and implementation. Co-design groups, Steering committees and co-facilitators have contributed to the program design and tools.
Various stakeholders have been consulted and a flexible approach has enabled many organisations to receive support to increase their knowledge, resources and tools for inclusive practices.
All support and assistance in this program is free of charge.
Impact to date
- Buddies and people with disability (pwd) matched.
- Buddies supporting pwd to locate and engage in a volunteer role of their choice that suits their skills and availability.
- One pwd engaged in a volunteer role which increased her work skills and she then gained a paid part time work role, while also continuing with her volunteer role. She had previously tried to volunteer but needed further support to secure a role which utilised her degree.
- Various Volunteer involving organisations (VIO’s) have booked in for the free Disability Awareness sessions which will increase their staff and volunteer’s knowledge and tools for reducing barriers for pwd to volunteer.
- VIO’s have also received support to increase their knowledge of best practice inclusive processes for volunteer recruitment through the partnership support of Volunteering SA&NT. These have been through formal group sessions and one on one support.
Collaborating organisations
Volunteering SA&NT, Southern Volunteering (SA) Inc., Northern Volunteering (SA) Inc.
About Orana
For 70 years, Orana has played a vital role in supporting South Australians living with disability.
Orana creates opportunities for people with disability to live the life of their choosing through a range of employment, housing, short term accommodation, skills development programs and daily support. Our aim is to provide people with disability the chance to live and work as part of their community, as independently as possible.
Contact
Rachel Yorston
Project manager
t: 8375 2080 e: volunteerability@orana.asn.au
