My experiences as a volunteer with a disability and access needs.
It’s one of the first things people ask when they meet someone new: ‘What’s your name, and what do you do?’ For years, I had an answer. ‘I’m Sarah, and I’m a secondary school teacher.’ It was more than just a job- it gave me purpose. After illness, I had to step away from the classroom and adjust to life as a wheelchair user. Suddenly, the answer to that simple question felt far more complicated. Volunteering wasn’t an easy decision- it felt like I was starting again- but over time, my feelings of loss and regression were replaced with pride and reason. Here, I reflect openly on my experiences as a disabled volunteer with access needs.
When creating a welcoming environment for volunteers with access needs, it is so important not to be made to feel like an inconvenience. Navigating inaccessible spaces is often a humiliating experience, and when you’re already wrestling with a pervasive fear of being a burden, oversights in accessibility compound feelings of inadequacy, frustration and embarrassment. The best experiences I have had volunteering have been those where I have been encouraged to share my needs in readiness, without judgement, and I have been met with a willingness to adapt.
Proactive planning and collaboration can remove logistical barriers, empowering disabled volunteers to shift focus from how they will manage to what they are there to achieve. Ironically, the most meaningful contributions I have made in voluntary roles to date have been drawn from negative experiences of inaccessibility and discrimination, by advocating for inclusion and realistic accessibility improvements.
Providing online opportunities to volunteers is a fantastic way to support disabled individuals by eliminating physical inaccessibility concerns. Taking on any voluntary role can be daunting, particularly whilst suffering symptoms of ill health. The flexible nature of working remotely means that tasks can be paced accordingly, whereas in the past, the unpredictable nature of symptoms would make traditional schedules impossible to abide by. The decision between online and in-person volunteering often comes down to weighing accessibility against the value of personal interaction- which really shouldn’t have to be a choice.
Communication is fundamental to volunteer engagement and motivation; effective communication can be the difference between feeling empowered or overlooked. In my experience, instances where communication has broken down have left me feeling undervalued. Without a clear avenue to ask for guidance, I hadn’t felt I had the authority to chase down answers which was disheartening.
I have learnt that volunteering is always a step forward, no matter your circumstances. The best way a volunteer with access needs can be supported is by having open- minded conversations about their needs, their role and their contributions. Sometimes it is the simplest adaptations that can make all the difference.
Written by Sarah Gifford