GoldStar - Snapshot Gateshead Access Panel - Promoting good practice in managing volunteers from socially excluded groups


Project	Description
Gateshead Access Panel	Benefitting the disabled community in the borough.

Gateshead Access Panel has been established since 1987 and became a charity in 1997. The Volunteer Project was set up in March 2003 and with a dedicated worker has been able to provide a more structured and supportive volunteering initiative. The Project’s main aim is to give disabled people as volunteers and users of services the confidence, knowledge and skills to become informed advisors on disability issues to service providers. The organisation achieves this through volunteer training and placements in a wide range of Gateshead Access Panel Projects.

Gateshead Access Panel is a user led disability organisation and all volunteers are disabled people/people with limiting long-term illnesses. All Trustees are disabled people with varying impairments and 7 out of 9 workers are disabled.

Gateshead Access Panel uses a wide range ofrecruitment techniques, including exhibitions, advertising and word of mouth.

Julie Earl
Volunteer Project

The Project also networks and liaises with outside organisations, including the Shaw Trust, Rehab UK and other placement agencies who use the Volunteer Project as a referral mechanism for potential disabled volunteers. The Project ensures accessible design of recruitment material and varying formats, together with use of different advertising arenas.

One of the important aspects of the Project has been the promotion of good practice in volunteering, highlighting the specific and sometimes complex support needs of disabled people, the majority of whom do not have any formal qualifications, with many requiring some Skills for Life support. A number of volunteers have successfully completed the 9295 City and Guilds in Adult Learning relating to Skills for Life. The Project has found that an emphasis on promoting volunteering as adult learning is particularly useful as a means to promote best practice issues.

Sam
Volunteer

The essential need to have progression routes built into volunteer placements is considered particularly important to disabled people some of whom face very severe barriers to work/career progression. The Project ensures each volunteer has an individual progression route built into their placement, measuring not only new skills, but also personal development.

The organisation works closely with local public authorities, as well as independent organisations, advising on all aspects of disability issues. Regular focus groups of disabled people are used as a consultation base for public authorities and
volunteers can become involved in a range of partnership meetings.

Volunteers are fully integrated as members of a team. Various mechanisms are in place for volunteers to share ideas and the Project has developed a fully inclusive environment for volunteers and involvement in all aspects of decision-making.

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