This week, 1st-7th June, is Volunteers' Week. To say thank you to all of our amazing community champions, we are hearing from @emmarenshaw who is sharing her experiences and top tips. The online community would be a very different place without a team of volunteers who work hard to support other disabled people.
Hello, my
name is Emma and I’m 27-years-old. I have Cerebral Palsy (CP) and I’m a
wheelchair user. I also am a member of the Board of Directors for a charity and
volunteer for Scope as an Online Community Champion. I’m passionate about accessibility,
equality and books.
I wanted to write about
volunteering because it has been such a huge part of my life and I have
volunteered in many different ways. However, inaccessibility, managing energy
levels and a lack of volunteering opportunities has caused many barriers.
Here are a few vital
tips to help combat them:
Accessibility is
Key
It is vital for me that
I volunteer somewhere that is accessible. Despite the majority of my voluntary
experiences been suitable, I have had an experience where the role has been in
an inaccessible building. There was a compromise within the role, but this is
why accessibility is crucial for me. I deserve to have the full experience
without having to adapt or worry.
Ask for Help
I know it is daunting,
but if you need help then please ask. In the past I have gone along with the
odd tricky situation, when in hindsight I shouldn’t of. It saves me so much
time and energy when someone can assist and advise me. Asking for help means
you can do the role better.
Pace Yourself
Taking breaks when you
need to or asking if you can change your hours when energy levels are low is
okay! Self-care is important for me, especially at the end of long days. My CP
means I use up more energy doing tasks so I like to relax by reading and listening
to music. By doing this, it means you can recuperate.
Remote Volunteering
Remote volunteering on
Scope’s Online Community has been brilliant for me. It means I can do
everything from the comfort of my computer or tablet, with it all being home-based.
I really hope to see more remote opportunities in the future as they make such a
difference.
Enquire More
This is something I have worked on over
time. I know not everything will be suitable and I won’t be right for every
role, but I am not afraid to ask. This allows you to find out what might be
available.
Always Have an Adviser
I’ve found it helpful for me to have
someone I can go to if I have questions. This means that advice or assistance
is available when needed. Even if it is only to help here and there, it makes
it so much easier overall.
Volunteering certainly hasn’t been
without its obstacles and there’s still a long way to go in terms of
accessibility. Yet I look forward to the day when accessible volunteering is
the norm and not a rarity.
If you would like to
follow Emma, she blogs at Emma’s Corner and can be found on Twitter @renshaw_emma.
What ways do you like to
volunteer? Do you have any accessible tools or advice that you’d like to share?
Let us know in the comments below!
