Disabled benefit claimants will be given the right to try work without the immediate fear of losing their benefits, with new legislation announced (Thursday 9th April). Voluntary Action Coventry (VAC)  welcomes this improvement to the situation disabled people face when seeking voluntary work.

Sue Ogle, CEO for Voluntary Action Coventry (VAC) said:

“We welcome the ‘Right to Try’ which will reduce barriers for disabled people to engage in volunteering. We know that volunteering can be a life changing experience for many of our participants. Volunteering enables people to try out new experiences, tap into skills they may not realise they have not to mention the social side which hugely benefits wellbeing – all essential experiences which can support a route back into employability.

The ‘Right to Try’ sends a clear message that benefits will be protected whilst people are volunteering, this will bring much relief to those who wish to get involved with community action but fear the loss to their benefits. “

Voluntary Action Coventry (VAC) supports people in Coventry to connect with hundreds of volunteering opportunities available amongst Coventry’s vibrant  and dedicated charities. Offering a range of services to support people with a range of needs, the charity aims to match people with causes they feel passionate about. VAC runs a free-to-attend twice weekly Drop-In Volunteering Advice service (Mondays and Tuesdays 10.30am-2pm) where members of the public can speak to a member of the team for advice about volunteering. There is a six-week supported volunteering course, Improving Lives, where participants sample taster volunteering sessions with charities across the city and the Chat Central project introduces people to community organisations and volunteering experiences. VAC  runs the city’s online community engagement platform, Get Involved Coventry,  where hundreds of volunteering roles are listed for people to browse and apply for.