Thomas’ Journey into Volunteering: Opening Doors Through Inclusion
Thomas is Deaf and uses British Sign Language (BSL) or Sign Supported English as his first means of communication. Like many Deaf people, he initially faced barriers when trying to access volunteering opportunities. These included communication challenges, inaccessible onboarding processes, and organisations feeling unsure about how best to support D/deaf volunteers.
Thomas shared:
“Sometimes people don’t know how to communicate with me, and that makes things harder before you even start. I just wanted the chance to volunteer like everyone else.”
Through our National Lottery Community Fund–funded Deaf Awareness Volunteering Project, Thomas received tailored, person-centred support to help remove these barriers. This included accessible communication, support with onboarding, Deaf awareness guidance for organisations, and practical reasonable adjustments within placements. Time was also spent working alongside staff to build confidence, understanding and inclusive practices.
Working in partnership with Emmaus and The White Mill Rural Heritage Centre, we explored how small, meaningful adjustments could make a big difference — from clearer communication to inclusive induction processes.
Thomas explained how this support helped:
“Having someone explain things clearly, help organisations understand Deaf awareness, and make small changes really helped. I feel more confident now, and I enjoy volunteering.”
Today, Thomas is volunteering successfully in his community. His confidence has grown, organisations feel more informed, and positive relationships have developed on both sides.
Thomas’ dad reflected on the journey:
“Seeing Thomas grow in confidence has been amazing. Before, volunteering felt out of reach. Now he feels included, valued, and proud of what he’s doing. The support has made a real difference — not just for Thomas, but for the organisations too.”
Thomas’ story is a positive reminder that:
- D/deaf people bring valuable skills, experience and perspective
- Small adjustments can make a big difference
- Inclusive volunteering benefits everyone
Sustaining D/deaf awareness through practical resources
To help sustain learning beyond individual placements, we also developed a set of D/deaf inclusion resources for organisations. These were created to support charities and community groups to feel confident onboarding and working with D/deaf volunteers and team members.
The resources include:
- A Deaf volunteer inclusion questionnaire
- A D/deaf volunteer onboarding risk assessment
- Strength-based inclusion guidance
- Communication tips for working with D/deaf people
- A list of external support resources
These tools are designed to support organisations from first contact through to placement, helping embed accessible practice, encourage confidence, and create welcoming environments.
👉 You can access the full set of resources here: D/deaf Inclusion Resources | Kent Coast Volunteering
Thomas hopes his journey will inspire others:
“I hope my story helps other Deaf people feel encouraged to volunteer. And I hope organisations see that with the right support, Deaf volunteers can do great things.”
Thomas’ journey shows what’s possible when people work together with openness, kindness and a strengths-based approach. By continuing to build awareness and remove barriers, we can create volunteering opportunities where everyone feels welcome, valued and able to contribute.