Volunteer Ireland Champions Inclusion with TEAM IV Project

Volunteer Ireland, a Points of Light Global Network affiliate, is leading the charge in promoting social inclusion for people with disabilities through its involvement with a variety of projects, but specifically the TEAM IV (Training European Active Mentors for Inclusive Volunteering) project. In partnership with our friends at Pro Vobis, Points of Light’s Romanian affiliate, and other European organizations, TEAM IV is breaking new ground by training mentors to support volunteers with disabilities and creating a platform to connect mentors and mentees across Europe.

“We’re in the early stages of this project, which addresses inclusive volunteering,” said Stuart Garland, learning and capacity building manager at Volunteer Ireland. “People are used to looking for wheelchair accessibility, but we’re teaching them to look much further than that. There are many invisible (hidden) disabilities, and organizations often have barriers in place that they’re not even aware of.”

The TEAM IV project recognizes that while volunteering offers numerous benefits, people with disabilities often face barriers to participation. To address this, TEAM IV will train 250 mentors specialized in supporting people with disabilities who are volunteers or wish to be volunteers. The project team is also currently developing an online platform that can be used for training, matching mentors and mentees, and providing training materials in different languages.

“The project is all about providing mentors for people who want to volunteer and have disabilities of any form – hidden or visible,” Stuart shares. “The idea is that volunteer mentors will work one-on-one with these individuals to support them through the process. We’re hoping this will help normalize disabilities as well as provide more access and fairness in volunteer opportunities.”

TEAM IV’s innovative approach will result in an online training course that develops and strengthens the capacity of volunteer trained mentors through a European mentoring program for volunteers with disabilities. Mentors are crucial for supporting and empowering volunteers with disabilities, as shown by The TEAM IV State of the Art Report, a publication co-funded by the European Union.

The report reveals that various mentoring models and approaches are being implemented across Europe to cater to the diverse needs of volunteers with disabilities. However, challenges like limited opportunities, accessibility issues and stigma persist. Despite these challenges, best practices are emerging, with organizations offering innovative programs that enhance community integration for adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.

TEAM IV is also focused on working with organizations to bridge the gap in volunteering and provide safer spaces for volunteers with disabilities. Often, organizations quickly assume they can’t provide any sort of experience for these volunteers – even when they don’t know what the disability is.

“In some cases, it’s less of a disability and more of a support need,” Stuart reflects. “Organizations need to be coached on how to tailor opportunities to different individuals. Sometimes, especially in cases of things like ADHD and autism, it’s really helpful to have that different perspective and can be an asset.”

Volunteer Ireland is currently working on pieces of the education portion of the project, including designing a virtual training through the Articulate platform. This will eventually provide a free, on-demand, open-source training for interested mentors as early next year. By redefining, improving and formalizing the mentoring process for the TEAM IV project, Volunteer Ireland and its partners will contribute to the active participation of people with disabilities in civic life—while also advocating for social inclusion to policymakers and stakeholders across Europe.

The TEAM IV project is an exciting step forward in promoting social inclusion and empowering people with disabilities through volunteering. By fostering a culture of mentorship and support, Volunteer Ireland and its partners are helping to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

Learn more.