Celebrating Diversity

Why diversity?

Everyone is unique; that is, different. Some differences are visible, whereas others are less immediately recognisable. Embracing difference brings many organisational benefits. Community and voluntary groups are faced with the growth of an increasingly diverse population. Approaches that worked effectively in more homogenous settings may not be as useful in more diverse environments. Organisations that learn how to harness difference will be more effective and competitive than those that do not.
Advantages of becoming diverse include:

Gaining more volunteers
Receiving an influx of new ideas and fresh approaches
Making the organisation’s work increasingly relevant to more members of society
Having an improved public image
Developing high quality services and activities
Playing a role in making society more inclusive
Attracting additional funding and other resources
Complying with legislation.

Legislative backdrop

There are various international, European Union and national laws and policies promoting equality. Of particular relevance in Ireland is the Equal Status Act 2000, which outlaws discrimination on nine grounds, namely; gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, religious belief and membership of the traveller community.

For further information, contact the Equality Authority (01) 471 3336, web site: www.equality.ie
How to become more diverse In order to make your organisation as accessible and inclusive as possible, you must:

Understand yourselves

Before we can understand others, we must realise and acknowledge what our own beliefs, perceptions, preconceptions and prejudices are. It is only when we understand our own value system that we can assess how these values affect our behaviour with other people. Diversity training will help you to recognise when your own biases are getting in the way, as well as offering guidance on more practical matters.

Reflect

Having gained some personal understanding, all stakeholders must reflect honestly what they feel about inclusion issues. Is there a genuine desire within the organisation to commit to diversity? If so, realise and accept that it will impinge on everything that you do. The following are just some examples, including:

Volunteer role development (for example, are carers always female and drivers always men?)
Screening (for example, what role should Garda checks play in the selection of volunteers?)
Day-to-day operations (should we continue to operate the hours in the week and days in the year that we have always done?).

Start small

This topic can seem overwhelming. It need not be. If you are committed to making your organisation more diverse, start simply and gradually build upon your successes. However, do not tokenise.

Research

Ideally, your volunteers should be as representative as possible of the community in which you operate. However, do you even know the profile of the catchments area? And have you any idea how this compares to the make-up of your current volunteers force? Undertake research and if any particular groups are underrepresented, build relationships with community groups and/or specialist organisations to access and work with these groups of people.

Improve your image

Ensure any literature that you publish (printed and electronic) includes images and case studies of as wide a range of people as possible. Use appropriate language and communicate simply and directly. For example, when recruiting, you could include a statement saying that all members of the community are welcomed as volunteers, regardless of age, colour, nationality, etc. Spread your net far and market as widely as resources will allow. However, try to segment your market and target in ways that your intended group can identify with.

Become user-friendly

Change policies and practices where necessary. Always aim for the highest level of user-friendliness in order to make your organisation as appealing as possible. For example, reduce the number of forms that have to be completed and invite potential volunteers for ‘chats’ instead of ‘interviews’. ‘People over paperwork’ is a useful motto! Simplifying language will help everyone, not just people with literacy problems or those for whom English is not their mother tongue. Both when recruiting and when supervising, match the role to the volunteer, not the other way round.

Be fair

Ultimately, diversity is about being fair and showing respect to others. Can you rise to the challenge? Some food for thought on groups of people who might volunteer with you; It is helpful to educate yourself about the needs of specific groups of people. The following section is just a starting point but may provide some food for thought.

People from minority ethnic groups

Did you know that in Ireland:

There is 31,000 Travellers?

There is a centuries-long history of black Irish people?

New immigrants can be subdivided into four types, namely:

Asylum seekers
Refugees
People with ‘leave to remain’
Migrant workers?

‘Voluntary work’ in the way we know it in Ireland may be an unknown concept to people from other cultures, either because it has negative political connotations (especially true of former Communist countries) or because mutual assistance is so ingrained into their societies that there is no separate word for volunteering (especially true of some developing countries). Anti-racism training for everyone working with an organisation is highly recommended to promote intercultural.

Young people and older people

Do you consider volunteers at either side of the age spectrum as legitimate workers?
Do you assume certain tasks suit certain ages; or are you imaginative and do you provide variety for all?
Does your insurance policy cover all ages? If not, can you persuade your broker to change this?
How easy is it to volunteer with you?
Can you be flexible about times of working and can you tackle the transport and expenses issues that your young and older volunteers may
encounter?
Does doing voluntary work with your organisation provide the type of experience and social contact and that is craved by your young and older volunteers?
Can your organisation provide opportunities for family-friendly volunteering?

People with disabilities/ill health

Are the premises physically accessible for people with disabilities?
Can you organise a buddy or volunteering partner system for new volunteers who have mental health problems?
Can you be flexible about timetables?
Do you offer clarity on personal and professional boundaries?
Do you worry about causing offence with incorrect language? Speaking with respect is the more important than political correctness

Other socially excluded people

When screening ex-offenders, be clear about the nature of conviction (is it relevant to the voluntary work?), whether it is spent, and what changes the person has undergone since then.
When recruiting people who are unemployed, sell the personal and career benefits of volunteering, and be sure to offer proper work and appropriate training.
Reimbursing the price of a bus fare can make the difference between keeping a volunteer on social welfare, or losing them.
Devoting some extra time now to supporting a person whose confidence levels are low can reap significant longterm rewards.