Coping with Physical Disability or Chronic Illness
Fostering Diversity

Crohn's and Colitis
Most of our volunteers have a physical disability, but it is not a disability that can be seen. Our volunteers suffer flare-ups of their Colitis or Crohn's and this can put them out of action for weeks or months. Obviously this can hinder and slow down their volunteering work. We encourage the volunteers to work in 'teams' or 'groups'. We encourage the volunteers to have understudies so that if a flare-up occurs there is another volunteer able to stand in. We also encourage the team to find volunteers (family or friends) who don't have the disease to join the team.

Allowing people who are well and not so well to work together ensures that all tasks are eventually completed. We also have a different perspective on time scales - deadlines can be moved!
Submitted on 3July 2003 by Heather Blakeley, Group Development Officer, National Association for Colitis and Crohn's Disease, UK

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