Presentation

Chapter 4: Inclusive Recruitment and Outreach

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1. Inclusive Recruitment = Quality Recruitment

If you recruit with accessibility in mind, you will recruit with quality.

 Image of a person in a wheelchair working, washing a car.

 

2. Promoting the Position

Design with access in mind

  • Think of access every step of the way
  • Ensure that your materials can be accessed by individuals with a varied array of abilities

 

Clip Art image of compact discs.  Image of a service site with an accessible ramp.  Image of the words "Large Print" showing accessibility.

 

 3. Alternative Formats

  • Do we provide materials in formats accessible to people with visual or cognitive disabilities?
  • Do we have accessible, user-friendly web sites?
  • Do we mail materials electronically prior to events?
  • Do we provide Braille, electronic, large print and illustrated materials?
  • Do we read overheads and flipcharts when presenting?

 

4. Elements of a Service Description

  • Service position title
  • Full or part time
  • Supervisor/title
  • Service position summary
  • Essential functions
  • Marginal functions
  • Working relationships
  • Knowledge, skills and abilities
  • Academic qualifications
  • Service conditions
  • Physical, emotional and intellectual demands
  • Equipment used

 

5. Inclusive Service Descriptions

An inclusive service description is an outline of the essential and marginal functions of a position.

What's essential?

  • Position exists to perform a specific function
  • Limited number of others who can do the function
  • Function is specialized; person selected because of expertise

Note: Essential functions can be done with or without reasonable accommodations.

What's marginal?

  • Are preferential or secondary to essential functions
  • Tasks can be traded or done by another volunteer or service member

 

6. Tips for Managers

  • Know and be clear about the essential functions/tasks
  • Become educated about legal responsibilities
  • Ask only task-related questions
  • Do not ask for more information about the specifics of disability than a person volunteers
  • When an individual discloses a disability, ask if reasonable accommodations are needed, describe the acommodation process, and maintain confidentiality
  • Make all applicants aware of their right to reasonable accommodation
  • Create a culture which welcomes and values people with disabilities and is accepting of idividual differences
  • Clearly communicate policies to all staff

 

7. Design with Access in Mind and Improve the Product

  1. What should you do to ensure that a brochure with pictures can be accessed by an individual with vision loss?
  2. How will this improve the overall quality of the product?

Image of a person's finger reading Braille.

 

8. Inclusive Content

All recruitment materials should include certain content and language which is welcoming to individuals with disabilities.

Image of person in a wheelchair tending a garden.

 

9. Accessible vs. Inclusive

 

  • “Qualified individuals with disabilities and those from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals and conduct all activities in fully accessible settings.”
  • “We are an equal opportunity program or organization.”

 

10. Design with Access in Mind and Improve the Product

  1. What should you do to ensure that an individual with a hearing loss will be able to access a recruitment video?
  2. How will this improve the overall quality of the product?

Image a person signing in front of an audience.

 

11. Design with Access in Mind and Improve the Product (Cont.)

  1. What should you consider when deciding the location of a recruitment event?
  2. How will this improve the overall quality of the event?

 

12. Technology

Image of a person in a wheelchair working at a computer station.  Image of a person using adaptive technology to operate a computer.

Have we created an accessible website?

  • An accessible website allows people with disabilities to experience, navigate and interact with the website
  • Information on how to make your website accessible: http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/
    • An example of a universally designed website: "text-only" options provide a faster downloading alternative for all users

 

13. Recruitment Tips

  • After initial outreach, evaluate your message
    • Provide more than general information about CNCS
    • Start stating benefits and possibilities for all people, including those with disabilities
  • Stay in contact with state/local government agencies, advocacy groups http://nichcy.org
  • Establish close relationships with provider agencies, school districts and self-advocacy groups (maintain ongoing contact with people with disabilities in order to recruit potential members and volunteers)
  • Recruit at:
    • Disability-related conferences
    • Disability-related job/resource fairs
  • Including People with Disabilities when Recruiting for National Service http://nationalserviceresources.org/node/17237

 

14. Determining which Disability Organizations to Partner with:

Image of the AUCD Logo- The Association of University Centers on Disabilities- Research. Education. Service.

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) has partnered with the National Service Inclusion Project, and is dedicated to increasing the participation of individuals with disabilities in national and community service. AUCD has devoted considerable effort to developing working relationships between CNCS grantees and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD) in each to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in community service. To find out more about AUCD and locate the UCEDD nearest you, please visit: http://www.aucd.org

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