Abstract

Developing a strategy to recruit individuals with disabilities is important to the success of any service program aiming for inclusion. This effective practice outlines outreach strategies for individuals with disabilities, from a June 2003 National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) training in Hawaii. Sue Lin shared these ideas on the NSSCTalk e-mail discussion list in July 2003.

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Issue

Allowing all individuals, including those with disabilities, the opportunity to serve.

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Action

Trainees at an AmeriCorps Statewide Training Conference generated this list of outreach strategies for individuals with disabilities. Effective practices include:

1.  
   1. Say it! Mention open enrollment for persons with disabilities. Use "word of mouth" personal outreach for recruitment.
   2. Use inclusive language and provide alternative formats of all materials.
   3. Attend disability-related events or conferences where you can set up an exhibit table and/or make a presentation on your community or faith-based organization.
   4. Make a presentation on your organization to another organization that serves people with disabilities.
   5. Apply universal design to marketing materials. For a good resource on this issue see http://home.earthlink.net/~jlminc/tools_principles.html. Also, see the effective practice, "Understanding the principles of universal design."
   6. Promote service as essential, not as something that someone can do after everything else.
   7. Hold a joint conference between service and disability organizations.
   8. Contact programs advocating for individuals with disabilities.
   9. Provide training for awareness and sensitivity of disability issues within your organization.
   10. Survey your workplace for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance; develop an ADA compliance checklist.

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Context

Disability impacts people's lives in a wide variety of ways, and the level of impact can range from minimal to extensive. Many individuals with disabilities require no special accommodations and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many employers believe. Society pays a much greater cost by not including these able individuals.

The National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) builds connections between disability organizations and state commissions, offices, and service programs.

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Outcome

Long-term goals include:

• Increase annual recruitment numbers for individuals with disabilities.
• Have individuals with disabilities apply for appointment to serve on boards of directors for service organizations or State Commissions on community service.

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Posted On

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For More Information

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Resources

NSSCTalk is an e-mail discussion group, created primarily for the participants in the National Senior Service Corps, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Anyone with related concerns, however, is invited to join in.

To subscribe by e-mail, send a blank message to join-nssctalk@lists.etr.org

Or subscribe via the Lyris Listmanager web page at http://lists.etr.org/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=nssctalk/.

Source Documents

Related Practices

• Reaching out to potential volunteers with disabilities
• Preparing your organization to engage people with disabilities
• Including people with disabilities when recruiting for national service

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