A qualitative study into the perspectives of volunteer involving organisations’ managers on the recruitment of volunteers with a learning disability

Abstract

This research project investigated the views of volunteer involving organisation managers, who are involved in the recruitment of volunteers with learning disabilities. The research was designed in collaboration between an occupational therapy student and Volunteer Edinburgh, a charity that supports people who looking to volunteer. The researching student interviewed two charity shop managers in the Edinburgh area. The study discovered that there were some issues, within these organisations, affecting volunteers with learning disabilities. The main findings of the research were that there are issues related to stigma within the organisations interviewed and this may affect how easily people with learning disabilities are able to engage in the occupation of volunteering.