Newscaster Charity Digital offer guidance to make volunteering accessible to everyone so it benefits both charities and those who want to give back.
To make volunteering more inclusive, it would pay for organisations to think about shifting their focus from simply asking
"how do we find more people" to actively removing the structural, financial, and cultural barriers that prevent diverse groups from taking part.
True inclusion requires embedding equity into every point of interaction in the volunteer journey - from initial outreach through to day-to-day operations.
MVA offer tips below to consider which could foster a diverse and accessible volunteering program:
Adapt Your Recruitment & Onboarding- A charity could consider replacing formal application forms and interviews with informal, accessible introductory chats; this would lower anxiety and build initial trust.
- A charity should also drop any rigid educational or formal background requirements if they are not needed; don’t list any exclusive qualifications or past corporate experience unless it’s critical to the safety of the role.
- A charity should also clearly advertise that out-of-pocket expenses are covered (like travel and lunch) so that people from all income levels can take part; if the role requires specific clothing, equipment, or background checks, the charity should cover costs of these items.
- If they are needed, a charity should also accept references from support workers, faith leaders, or friends rather than exclusively requesting former employers.
Flexible Roles & Formats- A charity should consider creating smaller, short-term tasks that volunteers can dip in and out of, which is ideal for those with unpredictable schedules or caring responsibilities, like parents or students.
- Charities should also consider offering opportunities that can be done from home using a computer or smartphone; this would accommodate those with mobility issues or transportation limitations. Also consider avoiding restrictions on volunteering to stringent 9-to-5 weekday slots; charities should also provide weekend and evening options where possible.
An Accessible, Welcoming Culture- Charities should proactively ask individuals if they have any support or accessibility needs in the process.
- They should make sure their marketing materials, like leaflets or social media, uses gender-neutral language and feature imagery that represents the diverse community that they are trying to reach.
- And it would pay for an organisation to provide their team and existing volunteers with Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training; this would prevent bias and make for a respectful and welcoming environment.
Inclusive volunteering ideally means making it easier for everyone to take part by removing physical, financial, and cultural barriers.
By adopting activities like offering flexible, micro-volunteering tasks, covering out-of-pocket expenses, and using informal chats instead of formal interviews, charities can make their recruitment imagery and language reflect diverse communities, so everyone would feel welcome.
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