Count me in to volunteer!

Volunteers with intellectual disabilities

2011 is the European year of volunteering. It is a good opportunity for people with intellectual disabilities to become volunteers. As a volunteer, you help people in your community. Some people think that people with intellectual disabilities only need help. As a volunteer, you can show them that people with intellectual disabilities can do many good things for their community.

Volunteering is an expression of civic participation and solidarity. Traditionally, people with intellectual disabilities have been seen as the end users of community services only. The challenge that we now face is to break down preconceptions and show that people with intellectual disabilities have much to contribute.

People with intellectual disabilities share the same motivations for volunteering as anyone else: they volunteer to learn new skills, to meet new people and to contribute to their community. In addition, volunteering offers them other specific benefits. They often feel isolated from society because they do not have the same opportunities as others to live independently and fully include in the community. Being a volunteer gives them the possibility to explore and develop their skills, to show and share their abilities with other people and to build self-confidence.

On the other hand, promoting volunteering among disabled people is a way to fight against prejudices, demystify disability and show they also have a role to play in society. The steps to help them feel involved in the community should not only be taken by them. Disability organisations, institutional bodies and civil society should work together to make them feel accepted.

This year it is a good opportunity to do so, since the EU has designated 2011 as the "European Year of Volunteering" (EYV). Many events, exhibitions, live demonstrations and other activities will be taking place throughout Europe to raise awareness on the importance of volunteering. According to the EYV’s website, around 100 million citizens in the European Union invest their time volunteering in civil society organisations, youth clubs, hospitals, schools, in sport clubs, etc. People with intellectual disabilities want to be counted in and have the opportunity to be valued for their contributions.

The capital of Spain celebrated the launch of the European Year of Volunteering on 2 February. On this occasion, Álvaro Roche, a volunteer with Down syndrome, shared his experience as a volunteer. Álvaro is a member of the Down Syndrome Federation of Madrid. Since last year, he spends every Friday volunteering in a social centre. The Down Syndrome Foundation told him about a project called ‘Volunteering for all’ which aims to help people with intellectual disabilities to become a volunteer and he was offered a volunteer work assisting older people in the use of computers.

This voluntary work has given him the opportunity to help the elderly, but also to exercise his right to volunteer. He finds volunteering a very rewarding task. He has often received support and now he feels he has the opportunity to give it back and see how other people appreciate his dedication. 'I have always counted on others to help me and now it’s my turn to help. Being a volunteer means you dedicate part of your spare time to make a positive contribution to society. Everyone can do it because we are all the same, though people like me may need some extra support.’

Volunteer is about dedicating your time to helping others and people with intellectual disabilities know much about this, since they have traditionally been support receivers. They have abilities to make their contribution to the community, but they will not be able to show what they are capable of unless they find themselves in an environment in which they are allowed to develop these skills.