Campaign promotes accessible, inclusive volunteering opportunities for all

Launched on International Day of People with Disability, the awareness campaign aims to help understand the challenges and needs of people with disability and support organisations to deliver more accessible and inclusive volunteering opportunities.

Dee Alford is a volunteer artist mentor at Interweave Arts Studio in Launceston, an active committee member of the Lilydale Progress Association, and identifies as having a disability.

Ms Alford said her lived experience with mental illness was both a challenge and a resource, giving her a unique perspective when engaging with others and herself.

"I'm aware of my differences, but I celebrate my differences and see that perhaps I can represent a different view in the workplace," Ms Alford said.

"I love volunteering with Interweave Art Studio because they not only accept diversity, but they actually embrace and celebrate diversity."

One in five Australians - or about 4.4 million people - are estimated to have disability.

Volunteering Tasmania chief executive Shirleyann Varney said she believed everyone should have equal access to the benefits of volunteering.

"While volunteering can act as a powerful driver of inclusion, it is not immune to the systemic barriers that impede participation across society," Ms Varney said.

"In recognising the benefits gained from engaging volunteers with diverse backgrounds and skill sets, significant work has been undertaken across the volunteering industry to create safe, accessible volunteering opportunities.

"Yet with minimal resourcing, volunteer-involving organisations have faced challenges in enacting organisational change that embraces, encourages and celebrates diversity at a systems level."

Ms Varney said the new campaign would support a volunteering sector where volunteering opportunities are meaningful, equitable, and accessible for people with disability.

"We are advocating to the Tasmanian state government for funding that will support volunteer-involving organisations to provide volunteering opportunities that are meaningful, equitable, and accessible for people with disability," said Ms Varney.