Abstract
This article discusses the findings of a study into how voluntary work provides opportunities for work inclusion and citizenship for people with intellectual disabilities. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 12 people with intellectual disabilities engaged in voluntary work in Iceland and Norway. Based on collective qualitative analysis, opportunities for meaningful social relations, competence, contribution and belonging were identified as key aspects of the participants’ experiences of volunteering. The study indicates that voluntary settings offer work that recognises the diversity of preferences, expectations and skills among people with intellectual disabilities. The study’s findings point to the importance of rethinking the meaning and boundaries of work, as participation in voluntary work provides opportunities for both inclusion and citizenship in addition to the participants’ participation in other work settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 109-121 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:1 Participants in the research project Rethinking work inclusion, funded by the Norwegian Research Council, were University of Iceland, UiT – the Arctic University of Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Funding Information:
The study was funded by the Norwegian Research Council.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s).
Other keywords
- citizenship
- inclusion
- intellectual disability
- volunteering
- work