Good Place To Volunteer awards

About the Award Scheme 

We developed these awards to help support and motivate organisations to increase volunteering opportunities for disabled young people, by recognising good practice. They were devised by disabled young people with practical knowledge of what makes volunteering an inclusive experience. They are based on the ‘Good Place to Come’ Awards which enable organisations in York to improve the quality of their services for disabled people. 

To make our assessments, we first speak with the young people who volunteered with a given organisation as part of Reaching Out.  We then arrange a visit to the organisation with a small ‘research team’ of young people.  Whilst there, we speak with staff, have a look around and gather information relevant to the four criteria. Afterwards we put our findings, with some recommendations, in a written report for the organisation. 

Criteria

The Good Place to Volunteer Award focuses on the following four areas: 

Attitudes 

Reaching out with positive “can-do” attitudes to include disabled young people as valued volunteers.

Awareness and inclusive practices 

Reaching out to learn more about overcoming the barriers experienced by disabled young people in the work place with appropriate policies and practices in place. 

Active volunteering 

Reaching out to make the inclusion of disabled young people a positive experience for everyone.

Access 

Reaching out to ensure an accessible work environment in terms of physical access, interviews and communications.

Benefits of the scheme

Organisations value our reports because of the practical, workable ideas for improvement and changes.  They also gain recognition and publicity for good practice already in place for including disabled volunteers along with their team of volunteers.

The following organisations have received Good Place to Volunteer Awards:

The Retreat 

The Healing Clinic

Novotel (York) 

St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve 

Read a summary document for The Good Place To Volunteer awards

Read the Good Place To Volunteer Award Checklist