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Planning for Inclusion

Indicators of an Inclusive Service and Volunteer Organization

This tool includes a list of factors in six broad program operation categories:

 

1.            Members and Volunteers

 

2.            Leadership and Staff

 

3.            Policies and Procedures

 

4.            Program Monitoring and Evaluation

 

5.            Community Partnerships

 

6.            Administration and Finance

 

The factors in each category represent elements which can indicate progress related to the inclusion of people with disabilities in service and volunteer organizations. The list is not exhaustive, but it is an initial starting and planning point to identify indicators. Please feel free to add indicators at the end of each section.

The content in this tool is from a collection of several different surveys and information gathering activities including:

 

1. NSIP’s Ensuring Programmatic and Facility Accessibility in National and Community Service Programs- Accessibility Checklist
2. Contributive findings from the 2009 Advanced Capacity Building Institute Level II
3. USAID Checklist for Inclusion
4. Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism 2010 Program Development, Training, and Inclusion Assessment

 

The National Service Inclusion Project is a cooperative agreement (08TAHMA001) between the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston in collaboration with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Association on Higher Education and Disability, National Council on Independent Living and National Down Syndrome Congress. Information contained in this email is for informational purposes only and does not imply endorsement from the National Service Inclusion Project or the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Each section contains a set of statements on a topic. For each statement, choose:

 

·         “A” = Fully

The statement is consistently true and has been implemented on a consistent basis.

 

·         “B” = Somewhat

The statement is occasionally true, or has been done in the past.

 

·         “C” = Not at this time

The statement has not yet been implemented.

 

In some sections, only A or C will be available for selection.

CHOOSE ONE FOR EACH ROW.

 

Tally the number of A’s, B’s and C’s selected in each section on the last row, next to the word TOTAL.

 

Circle the letter or type an “x” next to the letter that describes your organization for each statement.

 

Section 1: Members and Volunteers

 

1. Percentage of members and volunteers represent a percentage equal to the diversity in the community and state served.
   
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2. Members and volunteers with disabilities participate fully in all programs and activities alongside people without disabilities.
   
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3. All service members and volunteers, regardless of disability, are routinely informed of the availability of reasonable accommodations to perform their service.
   
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4. Members and volunteers are asked about their satisfaction with supervision, including disability-related supports.
   
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5. Disability inclusion topics are a component of personal development training for members and volunteers.
   
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6. All service members and volunteers are routinely offered the option of meeting with staff in private spaces.
   
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7. Information is presented in a variety of different way, e.g., pictorial, recorded, in writing, to accommodate all learning styles.
   
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8. Marketing materials encourage people with disabilities to apply and offer the availability of accommodations.
   
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9. Organization pictures and graphics include positive images of people with disabilities as members and volunteers.
   
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10. The organization conducts a variety of outreach activities to potential members and volunteers with disabilities.
    
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Total number for A = ___

Total number for B = ___

Total number for C = ___

Circle the letter or type an “x” next to the letter that describes your organization for each statement.

 

Section 2: Leadership and Staff

 

1. Leadership and staff composition includes individuals with disabilities and representation from disability organizations.
   
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2. Recruitment of new leadership and staff targets individuals with disabilities and publicizes to the disability community.
   
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3. Leadership and staff articulate the importance of making people with disabilities feel welcome.
   
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4. Leadership and staff participate in awareness training on how to include and meet the needs of volunteers and members with disabilities.
   
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5. Leadership and staff understand requirements to provide reasonable accommodations to both current and potential volunteers and members with disabilities, unless determined that providing such an accommodation would cause an undue hardship.
   
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6. Leadership and staff understand the obligations of CNCS-funded programs under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, including: People with disabilities have the same opportunities and rights as anyone else to access programs and become volunteers and members-

 

6a. Services, programs and facilities must be readily accessible.

1.      
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6b. Services and programs must be delivered in a setting that is as fully integrated as possible (volunteers and members with disabilities service alongside volunteers and members without disabilities).

A.        

B.        

C.        

 

7. Leadership and staff understand they must make reasonable accommodations in services and programs to avoid discrimination against people with disabilities, unless determined that making these modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the program/organization.
   
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8. Staff understands and provides programmatic access.
   
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9. Leadership and staff include disability-related issues in emergency planning and response procedures for people with disabilities.
   
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10. Staff knows how to obtain and use various equipment and strategies for assisting people with disabilities, including the telecommunications device for the deaf (TT/TTY/TDD), relay service, accessible work stations and accessible materials.
    
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11. Consultants or other non-staff with disabilities are involved in application development, program implementation, accessibility monitoring and evaluation.
    
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Total number for A = ___

Total number for B = ___

Total number for C = ___

Section 3: Policies and Procedures

 

1. The organization maintains an equal opportunity program and states that “accommodations are available upon request to individuals with disabilities” in recruitment brochures and other materials, including the telephone number of the TDD/TTY or relay service.
   
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2. Policy exists that clearly describes the inclusion of people with disabilities, equal opportunities, and nondiscriminatory practices, and is disseminated.
   
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3. Organization has documented procedures and guidelines for handling requests for reasonable accommodations including modifications in policies, practices, or procedures.
   
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4. Reasonable accommodation procedures are widely disseminated and included in all outreach materials and member/staff/volunteer orientations.
   
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5. Basic organizational materials are available in alternate formats.
   
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6. Position descriptions outline essential functions, marginal tasks and the availability of accommodations.
   
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7. Staff working with volunteers and members with a disability inform individuals of their rights and get documented permission from the individual before discussing information about his/her disability with other staff or external individuals (e.g., service sites, other service agencies).
   
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8. Private space is available for confidential discussion of disability-related issues.
   
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9. The disability status and released documentation (when known) of all service members and volunteers and applicants is stored in a way that ensures confidentiality.
   
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10. The program's website is fully accessible to people with disabilities and meets or exceeds section 508 standards.
    
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11. Off-site presentations to the public are held in locations that are fully accessible for people with disabilities.
    
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12. Appeals process for disability-related issues and discrimination complaint procedures exist and disseminated.
    
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Total number for A = ___

Total number for B = ___

Total number for C = ___

Section 4: Program Monitoring and Evaluation

 

1. The perspective of members and volunteers are included in organizational evaluations and program performance measures.
   
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2. The organization evaluates complete and comprehensive program and site accessibility.
   
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3. All programs and sites offer and evaluate programmatic accessibility solutions, if needed.
   
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4. The effectiveness of reasonable accommodation policies and procedures are evaluated and modified accordingly.
   
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5. Data is collected anonymously regarding number of members who disclose disabilities and used in planning.
   
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6. Data is collected anonymously and confidentially regarding accommodations requested, provided and evaluated.
   
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7. All staff evaluations include the assessment of disability inclusion issues.
   
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8. Exit interviews with members and volunteers include questions about inclusion.
   
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9. Board members and commissioners integrate disability inclusion in planning, management and evaluation.
   
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Total number for A = ___

Total number for B = ___

Total number for C = ___

Section 5: Community Partnerships

 

1. Organization consults with disability groups, organizations, and associations about ways in which the program can improve its outreach and services to people with disabilities.
   
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2. Organization is developing the capacity with the disability community to embrace service and volunteerism as a valued choice for people with disabilities.
   
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3. Organization leverages a variety of disability community resources to access basic disability information, recruiting members, obtaining accommodation and access consults, developing contractual agreements/MOU’s for specific services and evaluations.
   
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4. Organization stakeholders and strategic planning processes include disability organizations and individuals with disabilities.
   
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5. Organization has an active inclusion team that is well represented by all streams of service and a range of disability agencies and organizations.
   
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Total number for A = ___

Total number for B = ___

Total number for C = ___

Section 6: Administration and Finance

 

1. All budgets include line items for reasonable accommodations.
   
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2. Organizations track costs for all reasonable accommodations, including “no cost” due to partner resource leveraging or type of accommodation.
   
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3. CNCS disability regulations related to disability are disseminated and reviewed by all staff and leadership.
   
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   3.      

 

 

Total number for A = ___

Total number for B = ___

Total number for C = ___