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Supported Volunteering

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Our Supported Volunteering Programme provides person-centred, accessible volunteering opportunities for individuals who both are Disabled or Deaf, and who would otherwise face significant barriers to volunteering. We’re committed to making volunteering accessible for Disabled and Deaf people. Our Supported Volunteering Programme is an important part of how we do that.

We know that some Disabled people face additional barriers or need extra support to volunteer. To help overcome barriers and create more opportunities, we can offer specific additional support, such as a member of staff to buddy up with you when you are volunteering or creating a specific volunteering role for you.  

This is called Supported Volunteering; it’s for Disabled Volunteers who often face barriers to volunteering. You’d still be part of our main team of volunteers, it just means we know you might need some extra support, so you get the most from your time with us. 

How can X by X Support Me?

Bromley Experts by Experience’s wider volunteering programme is proactively inclusive and accessible for all Deaf and Disabled Volunteers. Our Supported Volunteering Programme offers even more support to help you find a role, develop your skills and be an active part of your community! Some of the extra support we’ve offered past volunteers included:

  • Offering a Volunteer Buddy or Support Worker to assist in specific volunteering activities.
  • Building a role to match a volunteer’s skills and ambition, instead of matching to an existing role.
  • Seeking funding or provision of equipment to increase access.
  • Providing BSL Interpreters.

We recognise that not every Disabled person who volunteers for us will feel they require additional support offered in the Supported Volunteering Programme and we will not make any assumptions about you or what support you might need to volunteer! If things change, Volunteers can self-identify as a ‘Supported Volunteer’ at any point.

What If I don’t know what I want to do?

No problem!

If you know that you would like some extra support to volunteer and want to find out what kinds of activities you could get involved in, or if you’re not sure what role is best for you, contact our Volunteering Coordinator Kathryn on volunteering@xbyxbromley.org.uk or fill in our enrolment form sharing the kinds of skills or activities you would enjoy. Remember to tick that you’d like to join Supported Volunteering, and we’ll know that you’d like some additional support.

If you’d like to get an idea of some of the roles we are currently looking for volunteers to help us with, you’ll find them on our volunteering opportunities page.

What some of our volunteers have said

  • “Gets me out the house and I’ve grown in confidence. I’ve learnt how to organise activities”
  • “Changed how I feel about life as a Disabled person because I feel better about myself and what I can do.”
  • “I can communicate and talk about what is important to me with other disabled people who understand me and help other disabled people.”
  • “Has increased my independence and opened me up to more socialising opportunities in my spare time.”

I want to volunteer – What now?

Fantastic! We’re really pleased you’d like to get involved! You can see specific roles we are currently advertising for on our volunteering opportunities page.

If you’re not sure what role is best for you, contact our Volunteering Coordinator Kathryn on volunteering@xbyxbromley.org.uk or fill in our enrolment form below sharing the kinds of skills or activities you would enjoy. 

Volunteer Enrolment Form

Thank you so much for thinking about volunteering for Bromley Experts by Experience (X by X Bromley). If you need assistance with completing this form, please email volunteering@xbyxbromley.org.uk. 

You can either complete the online form below or download our volunteer enrolment form and return to volunteering@xbyxbromley.org.uk.

Volunteering Enrolment Form

Please tell us about yourself

All the information you provide on this form is confidential within X by X, in line with our Privacy Notice. 

(only if aged under 18 years) Your parent/carer's details

If you are aged under 18 years, we require parent/carer consent before you can volunteer. We will email your parent/carer to check consent.

If you are aged 18 years or older, you can leave this section blank.

Lived Experience of Disability

We are dedicated to remaining an organisation run by and for Deaf and Disabled people and carers. All our volunteers must have lived experience of being Deaf, Disabled and/or have lived experience as a carer to volunteer with us. Find out what we mean by that here.

We want to make volunteering as accessible as possible.

Please let us know anything we can do to make sure you get the most from volunteering. This could be specific access requirements, such as needing someone to help you with your tasks or things like what times of day that work best.

Your Volunteer Role

Please let us know about a specific role you've seen us promote. If there isn’t a specific role, but you’d still like to offer your skills, time and support to Bromley Experts by Experience, please let us know any specific hobbies or skills that you’d like to offer X by X now or in future so we can find the best role for you. Tick as many as you’d like.

What makes you want to volunteer for X by X?

Supported Volunteering

We know that some Disabled people face additional barriers or need extra support to volunteer. To help overcome barriers and create more opportunities, we can offer specific additional support, such as a member of staff to buddy up with you when you are volunteering or creating a specific volunteering role for you.  

This is called Supported Volunteering; it’s for Disabled Volunteers who often face barriers to volunteering. You’d still be part of our main team of volunteers, it just means we know you might need some extra support, so you get the most from your time with us. 

Your consent