Encouraging diversity

Offering flexible volunteering programs that appeal to people from a wide range of backgrounds benefits both volunteers and volunteering organisations. This includes people from different cultural, language, age, gender and interest groups. Volunteers are more likely to invest their time and energy in programs where they feel welcomed and included. In turn, organisations that build flexibility and diversity into their programs open themselves to a much wider pool of prospective volunteers.

This section looks at the importance of diversity and suggests ways to reduce barriers to volunteering, and encourage different kinds of people to get involved. It also includes ideas and tips for working with specific groups of volunteers.

Select a topic to find out more:

Why is diversity important?
Ways to encourage diversity
Recruiting volunteers from diverse backgrounds
Working with corporate volunteers
Working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds
Working with people who are blind or have low vision
Working with people who are Deaf or hard of hearing
Working with people who have a disability
Working with skilled volunteers
Working with young people