The UK’s largest practical conservation charity

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Conservation work attracts more people with disabilities, says latest BTCV diversity report

BTCV, the UK’s largest practical conservation charity, can report a massive increase in the number of disabled people taking part in environmental conservation activities. 

As published in the BTCV Diversity Report 2008, the greatest rise was amongst BTCV’s key volunteers, where the proportion classing themselves as disabled has gone from zero to one–in–ten in just two years. For all BTCV volunteers, the figure has moved from nine per cent to 11per cent, while the percentage of paid staff reported as disabled has more than quadrupled from 2.5 per cent to 12 per cent. Conditions range from limited mobility and hearing impairment to Dyslexia.

“The results highlight the success of BTCV’s policy to include individuals and groups traditionally under–represented in the environmental sector,” says Tom Flood, BTCV’s chief executive. 

The figures also show a healthy diversity across the board, with BTCV involving over 80,000 individuals in diversity–related work, with over 20,000 [25 per cent] from a black, minority ethnic [BME] background. The survey for the first time also identified nine per cent of BTCV staff as White but not British, giving a combined total of 12 per cent BME and ‘White Other’, as compared with 7.9 per cent of the UK population. Thirty seven per cent of all people involved in BTCV activities come from communities under–represented in environmental volunteering; for example, refugees and asylum seekers, those at risk of offending and people living in poverty.

Infolink: BTCV head office, Conservation Centre, 163 Balby Road, Doncaster DN4 0RH. Telephone: 01302 310167. Website: www.btcv.org.

BTCV [formerly the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers] is the UK’s leading practical conservation charity and supports 140,000 volunteers a year taking hands–on action to improve their urban and rural surroundings. The organisation’s slogan – ‘Inspiring people, improving places’ – reflects its aim to create better local environments where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved.

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