People with a disability are under-represented in the volunteer sector and Duke Street Community House wants to know why.
A project launched by the organisation will seek to understand more about the issues people with a disability in Brimbank face when wanting to volunteer.
Duke Street Community House project officer Jenna Chia said the project, Pathways to Participation, will identify the issues hindering people’s involvement in volunteering.
“We know that many people with a disability want to volunteer, however they experience many obstacles including a lack of flexible and rewarding opportunities, or organisations that are unwilling to adapt to meet their needs,” Ms Chia said.
“They also face discrimination and stigma, with people often focusing on their disability rather than the skills and experience they can offer.
“Each community is different and we want to identify the issues affecting people and organisations in Brimbank.”
Ms Chia said volunteer work was often a gateway to employment.
“Volunteer work improves confidence, communication skills and allows for social networking, which is vital when it comes to prospective employment,” she said.
“However, rates of formal volunteering [for the general population] in Brimbank as measured in the 2016 Census, were only
11 per cent compared to the national average of 19 per cent.
“People with a disability in Australia face increased barriers to community participation and volunteering … there is a significant need to understand the unique barriers that people with a disability in Brimbank experience when wanting to volunteer.”
Duke Street is recruiting community members with a disability to complete a survey or interview about their experience when volunteering. They also want to speak with volunteer co-ordinators to understand the challenges faced by not-for-profit organisations who run volunteer programs.
Anyone interested can contact Ms Chia at jenna.dukestreet@gmail.com
