How to support a volunteer with a learning disability with references
I do not know what a reference is, can you explain?
If this happens you could spend some time explaining what references are.
Reading through an Easy Read guide or watching a video together may be helpful. Easy Read resources and videos can be found on Innovate Trust’s Insight app’s Volunteering Hub.
I worry about what someone will say about me in a reference.
You can offer to show them a copy of the completed reference.
Our volunteers with learning disabilities said this would alleviate their worries.
Who should I ask to give me a reference?
We found that our volunteers with learning disabilities liked having a list of people who they are likely to encounter who can give a reference.
You could suggest a social worker, support worker, or another volunteer coordinator. Explain to the volunteer why a friend or family member giving a reference is not always appropriate,
Our volunteers with learning disabilities told us they may not automatically understand this.
Similarly, our volunteers suggested you may need to explain that although a doctor is a professional, they cannot give a reference.
A referee needs to be someone they know well in a professional setting, like the examples listed above.
Why do you need a reference?
When we asked our volunteers why they thought an organisation would want a reference about them, they were not too sure.
Explaining why you need one is helpful. You could say it is to check you are the right person for the role.
Is a reference a DBS or a CV?
Many of the volunteers we asked often confused between a reference, DBS check, and a CV.
We found that explaining what the 3 types of documents are, and how they are different was helpful.
A reference is something someone else writes about you.
A DBS is a check the government does
A CV is something you write about yourself.
Watching videos and looking at Easy Reads can help explain the differences.
Having some example copies to hand was also suggested by our volunteers as a helpful way of explaining them.
An organisation has asked for a reference but I do not know what to do next
We are all told to be careful with sharing information and it is the same for volunteers with learning disabilities.
Many reported feeling anxious about passing on contact information so references could be completed.
We reassured them that as long as you ask, it is ok to share the contact details of someone who you would like to provide a reference for you.
Other volunteers with learning disabilities were unsure how to start the conversation with the person they would like to ask for a reference.
Supporting them to reach out to that person is sometimes needed, this might be because the person lacks confidence to do this alone or they do not have the necessary digital skills to send an email.
Phone calls are often easier for volunteers with learning disabilities but make sure you ask the person which way is best for them, giving them a choice is important.
