I’ve been working in the voluntary sector for over 20 years and like many people of my age I ended up getting involved in volunteer management by accident.  It’s only really in the last 15 years that it has become a recognised as a profession and it has been acknowledged that managing the volunteer, who doesn’t get paid, is equally as complex as managing the people who do.

That’s not to say there aren’t differences but there are similarities especially in the increasing amount of legislation and guidance relating to volunteering.

We are still a long way behind our sister profession Human Resources in terms of recognition and investment which might surprise some people given the low staff and high volunteer ratio in most charitable organisations.

Changing attitudes and aspirations have opened up a wealth of potential opportunities for would-be volunteers and seen the glass ceiling between low skilled volunteer opportunities and high skill or pro bono type activities evaporate in most organisations.

So what does this mean for Deaf, deaf or hard of hearing people who want to volunteer?  We all know that equality is a legal right but sadly an Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that the volunteer who dedicates his or her free time to charities is not covered by either United Kingdom or European Union equal treatment legislation which is designed to protect workers and employees.

It was felt that due to the vast turnover of volunteers that it may be extremely difficult for any organisation to make concessions for a certain group of volunteers.  This was hugely disappointing as was the discontinuation of the Access to Volunteering Funding after the pilot concluded in 2011.

Having said that, what I see on the ground is a great desire amongst my volunteering colleagues to be truly inclusive and welcoming to all sectors of the community. In some cases this is tempered with a fear of getting it wrong and causing offence – inclusion being such a huge topic it is impossible to know everything about everything and inevitably we get it wrong sometimes.

As a deaf Volunteering Professional and volunteer I think both sides have a responsibility if we are going to create a successful partnership. As a deaf individual I need to be clear about what I can and can’t do, and the support I will need to do it.

My top tips for finding your perfect volunteering opportunity

• Be clear about your motivation and what you want to get out of it. – What interests you? If you know who you want to volunteer for it is best to go direct to the organisation. If you know what but not who, you probably want to go via a brokering organisation such as Do-It or Volunteer Team London. There are also specialist brokers in different sectors such as Museums Association. If you are looking to develop or practise particular skills, do your research and clearly outline what these are when you contact the organisation, especially if you want evidence for your portfolio or CV.  I have seen great people leave because they weren’t clear what they wanted, so the organisation wasn’t able to match them successfully to a role that met their aspirations.

• Be your own expert – The person who interviews you may not know anything about hearing loss, in which case they may have unrealistic ideas about what you do and don’t need – we have all been there! Talk through what the role entails and highlight any areas where you might need adjustments and / or support e.g. if they use videos for training, do they have audible alarms or intercoms.

• Be realistic and give them options – Funding is constantly being reduced and charities constantly have to make tough decisions on what does or doesn’t get funded in line with their charitable aims, so whilst it would be fantastic if they paid for a BSL interpreter every time you volunteered, it’s very unlikely they can afford it. Remembering as above that you are your own expert, for any situation that comes up, you will probably have encountered a similar situation previously, so are likely to have had to find a way round it before. e.g. written transcripts of videos, use of gadgets (which many of us already have) or sharing details of low cost solutions like phone apps.

• Be assertive – It’s not unreasonable to ask for the provision of written materials, longer breaks, suitable lighting, desk locations etc. but it’s helpful to explain why it’s needed. Do give feedback if you aren’t getting what you need – people can’t fix what they don’t know about.

• Be optimistic – Above all be optimistic – there are thousands of opportunities out there from short term intensive internships through to flexible, short term, micro, online and one off opportunities.

There aren’t, to my knowledge, any courses or organisations that are set up specifically for Deaf / deaf volunteers and I think this is largely because technology means that we are able to communicate easily online within peer groups, plus of course there are already a number of great Deaf / deaf networks online where we are already sharing advice, opinions, experiences and recommendations. Try UK Hearing Loss Community or Hearing Loss Worldwide on Facebook.

In my role as a Volunteering Consultant and Deaf Advocate I am constantly challenging organisations to do better and above all to ‘do with and not do for’ deaf and disabled people.

The biggest challenge I find is the fear of getting it wrong which often holds people back from making the first move so it’s my role to encourage groups and organisations to have honest conversations with prospective volunteers and work collaboratively together to find practical solutions.  And perhaps most importantly to get comfortable with not knowing all the answers, being willing to make mistakes and to learn from the experience.

Above all it’s about seeing any perceived challenges to the volunteer as an opportunity for growth.

On the whole it’s never as difficult as it first seems and sometimes having an intermediary like me to practise with or use as a sounding board can help jump start the process.