Inclusive Outreach to Americans with Disabilities to Go Abroad
Increase diversity in your international exchange programs by reaching out to people with disabilities. Our world needs all its people to be internationally engaged, globally aware and to contribute.
Top Ten Ways to Be Inclusive in Your Recruitment
- Add Promotional Messages and Welcoming Language
- Broaden Media Resources
- Provide Scholarships
- Utilize Peer and Family Connections
- Promote Disability Inclusion as an Organizational Value
- Budget for Reasonable Accommodations
- Train Staff and Volunteers
- Network with Local, Regional and National Organizations
- Provide Equal Access to the Screening and Selection Process
- Diversify Staff and Volunteers
Also Read:
- Encouraging and Recruiting People with Disabilities of Racial and Ethnic Minority Backgrounds to Go Abroad
- Youth with Disabilities - Building Awareness of International Exchanges
Best Practices:
- Building Bridges Around the World (U.S./Argentina)
- Campus Collaboration Campaign Booklet
- Not Just Recipients of Service: Including People with Disabilities in Volunteer Abroad Programs
Return to Inclusive Recruitment & Outreach
1) Add Promotional Messages and Welcoming Language
Include welcoming and inclusive language in public presentations and program literature. Examples include:
- “We encourage people with disabilities and from other diverse backgrounds to apply.”
- “We provide reasonable accommodations as needed to people with disabilities.”
- “Our materials are available in alternative formats (braille, electronic, large print, etc.) upon request.”
Recruitment materials such as brochures, websites and posters should include images of people with disabilities, and, if possible, quotes by participants with disabilities who have participated successfully. Request a free poster and recruiting materials with inclusive images.
2) Broaden Media Resources
Solicit stories from the participants and staff with disabilities involved in the program and disseminate and include their stories in your organization’s websites, brochures, social media, newsletters and other media that is used for all audiences.
Include disability organizations and social media sites on distribution lists for program outreach and application deadlines. Use Mobility International USA’s online searchable database to find disability organizations worldwide.
3) Provide Scholarships
Financial assistance is one of the best tools for encouraging the participation of populations usually underrepresented in international exchange. Offer scholarships specifically for members of underrepresented communities and ensure broader scholarships are awarded to a diversity of applicants.
4) Utilize Peer and Family Connections
Offer to put individuals with disabilities who are considering applying in contact with program alumni with disabilities. The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange can also assist peers in connecting to each other, such as these featured people or others who have written about their experiences.
For young people with disabilities, their parents often play a larger role in their lives for a longer period of time. If your program materials or connections with alumni’s parents can convince the parent that this is a worthwhile experience, you may have a better chance of the person with the disability participating in your program. Make time to talk with the potential participant and their parent during the early phases of recruitment.
5) Promote Disability Inclusion as an Organizational Value
Convey the message that your organization values diversity and inclusion. Program administrators should foster a commitment to including people with disabilities at all levels of their organization, and should work with overseas partners and affiliated organizations to provide accessible program design and develop policies that support inclusion. See our Checklist on Inclusion to assess your organizations current level of inclusion.
6) Budget for Reasonable Accommodations
Many organizations are concerned about the cost of making programs accessible to people with disabilities, so incorporating a "disability accommodation" line item into every project and administrative budget is the most reliable way to ensure that resources are there when needed (3% of program costs is usually adequate). People with disabilities may be more willing to apply if they know of an organization’s commitment to support inclusive participation. Read more ideas at Budgeting for Inclusion.
7) Train Staff and Volunteers
Ensure that disability-inclusive policies are communicated to all staff members and volunteers in an organization. Interaction with an unsupportive or uninformed staff member can negate otherwise positive recruitment efforts. People who are involved in any aspect of promoting the organization’s programs—whether answering phones, attending conferences, giving community presentations or other public relations activities—should be prepared to answer questions about the program’s policy on including people with disabilities. A positive, inclusive attitude is perhaps the best recruitment tool an organization can have. Read more suggestions in: Lessons to Learn From NCDE’s Survey of Frontline Staff.
8) Network with Local, Regional and National Organizations
Identifying contacts at organizations that are led by and work with people with disabilities is essential to recruiting and accommodating participants with disabilities in international exchange. University disability services offices, local independent living centers, rehabilitation organizations, adaptive recreation programs, disability rights organizations and support groups are critical sources of knowledge and support.
9) Provide Equal Access to the Screening and Selection Process
Most international exchange organizations and study abroad offices use sophisticated techniques for screening applicants for eligibility and selection based on qualifications. Programs need to be careful, for legal and ethical reasons, not to screen out qualified applicants because of their disabilities and perceived limitations. The screening and selection process must be accessible for students with disabilities and reasonable and appropriate accommodations must be provided to ensure that people with disabilities have fair and equal opportunities to demonstrate their qualifications. It is appropriate to discuss what accommodations the individual might need to participate in the program only AFTER the participant has been accepted, for example, on a health form that is given to all accepted participants.
10) Diversify Staff and Volunteers
Create a position within the organization that focuses on increasing the diversity of staff, administrators, volunteers and program participants. Fill staff and volunteer positions with qualified individuals who add diversity. Staff members who have disabilities, like people from other minority backgrounds, can bring expertise and perspectives that increase an organization’s capacity to be inclusive. A person with a disability on a recruiting committee can provide excellent problem-solving insights and help identify other useful contacts. Read more at Building Bridges publication chapter on Expanding Practical Knowledge: Recruiting Volunteers and Interns.
Also Read:
- Encouraging and Recruiting People with Disabilities of Racial and Ethnic Minority Backgrounds to Go Abroad
- Youth with Disabilities - Building Awareness of International Exchanges
Best Practices:
- Building Bridges Around the World (U.S./Argentina)
- Campus Collaboration Campaign Booklet
- Not Just Recipients of Service: Including People with Disabilities in Volunteer Abroad Programs
