The Nonprofit FAQ

Organizations that Promote Volunteering by Persons with Disabilities
Jayne Cravens posted to NONPROFIT (see http://www.rain.org/mailman/listinfo/nonprofit) on April 30, 2001:

These are organizations that have a focus or commitment to promoting the
involvement of people with disabilities as volunteers (as stated on
their web site). Most of these organizations provide free online
resources to help other organizations involve volunteers with
disabilities.




Corporation for National Service (CNS) / AmeriCorps
CNS, through various AmeriCorps programs and resources, promotes the
involvement of people with disabilities as volunteers:
  • Disability Inclusion (ADA) & AmeriCorps
    [http://www.txserve.org/programs/disability/], compiled by Elvia
    Mendoza, Disability Inclusion Coordinator at the Texas Commission on
    Volunteerism & Community Service
  • the Training Manual for Working With Youth Volunteers Who Have
    Disabilities, produced by Youth Volunteer Corps. This manual is not
    available online, but you can order a printed copy for a small fee by
    calling Youth Volunteer Corps at 913-432-9822 or email yvca@aol.com, or
    order it via http://www.energizeinc.com.
  • CNS gave Youth Service America a grant in 2001 to involve young people
    with disabilities in National Youth Service Day 2001
    [http://www.ysa.org/nysd/]
  • You can find lots more AmeriCorps-related materials regarding
    including people with disabilities as volunteers by visiting The NSRC
    Resource Library [http://www.etr.org/NSRC/library.html] and typing in
    "disabilities" on its search engine.



International Year of Volunteers / United Nations Volunteers
http://www.iyv2001.org and http://www.unv.org
IYV, part of UNV, has resources in development regarding promoting the
involvement of people with disabilities as volunteers (referenced in THE
IYV 2001 GLOBAL UPDATE, August 2000 - Edition #19). UNV has also
involved a number of volunteers with disabilities in developing
countries; the story of one such volunteer in Cambodia was highlighted
in a 1999 edition of UNV NEWS.


Mobility International USA
http://www.miusa.org/
"As a US-based national non-profit organization, the mission of Mobility
International USA (MIUSA) is to empower people with disabilities around
the world through international exchange, information, technical
assistance and training, and to ensure the inclusion of people with
disabilities in international exchange and development programs." MIUSA,
with sponsorship from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
(ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, manages the National
Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE). The NCDE works to
educate people with disabilities and disability-related organizations
about international educational exchange opportunities, promoting the
inclusion of people with disabilities in all types of exchange,
community and volunteer service programs. The NCDE also provides advice
and technical assistance to international exchange organizations and
colleges and universities on how to include people with disabilities in
their exchange programs.


Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation
http://www.meaf.org
"The MEA Foundation is dedicated to helping young people with
disabilities, through technology, to maximize their potential and fully
participate in society." MEAF has funded a number of initiatives focused
on inclusion of youth as volunteers.


People First
http://www.open.org/~people1/
People First operates on the principle of self-determination and
promotes involving people with developmental disabilities in leadership
roles. These organizations are for and by the developmentally disabled
living in institutions, foster homes, their parents' homes, group homes,
or on their own. In addition to running their organizations, People
First members sit on the boards of other local nonprofits, on state
commissions for the disabled, and national/federal committees. In Salem,
Oregon, where the organization began, one of the ran for city council
and placed third of four candidates. The Missouri (USA) chapter offers
"The People First Manual"
[http://www.MissouriPeopleFirst.org/People%20First%20Information/PFManual2000.htm],
for both People First members and supporters. The manual offers
excellent information on working with volunteers with developmental
disabilities ("Friendly REMINDERS for People who support other People").
There's also "How to Develop a Self-Advocacy Group, An Officer's
Handbook of People first of Washington"
[http://cdl.unch.unc.edu/devsites/asanc/OLD%20SITE/ie/handbook.htm].
There are People First organizations all over the U.S. and the United
Kingdom, as well as affiliates in Australia, Canada and Japan. The first
People First organization began in Salem, Oregon.


Volunteer Service & Resource Project (VSRP)'s
Mobile Volunteer Service TEAM
http://www.geocities.com/givestore/mvst.html
A program serving organizations involving volunteers in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. It provides "secure and diverse volunteer opportunities
for individuals who cannot or choose not to volunteer on their own."
Primary participants are adults with chronic mental illness, brain
injury, neurological disabilities, and emotional problems that prohibit
independent volunteer service. "Using a proven approach that organizes
individuals into supervised teams, MVST participants serve community
organizations that otherwise cannot accommodate people with limited
skills or particular needs. Students in service learning programs or
seeking community service work, adults adjudicated to complete community
service, isolated older adults, physical therapy patients, and people
who covet volunteer service, but lack confidence or the means to
volunteer, also join the MVST."


The Virtual Volunteering Project
http://www.serviceleader.org/vv/atech/
"Online volunteering programs can allow for the greater participation of
people who might find volunteering difficult or impossible because of a
disability. This in turn allows organizations to benefit from the
additional talent and resources of more volunteers, and allows agencies
to further diversify their volunteer talent pool." The Virtual
Volunteering Project Team researches and documents ways to accommodate
and encourage such persons in online volunteering programs. The Project
web site provides tips for outreach, accommodations, conversation,
volunteer orientation and matching, evaluation and staff training
regarding volunteers with disabilities, including information on
accommodations for online volunteers who have learning disabilities or
emotional and anxiety disorders (sometimes called "hidden" disabilities.
The site also provides "First Person: Benefits of Virtual Volunteering
for People With Disabilities," excerpts from testimonials showing first
hand how virtual volunteering creates new opportunities for people with
disabilities; and a list of examples of Involving Online Volunteers With
Disabilities.



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Jayne Cravens
jcravens "at" coyotecom "dot" com


Online Volunteering Specialist
United Nations Volunteers / UNITES
http://www.unv.org / http://www.unites.org

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Posted 4/30/01 -- PB