Cash to help disabled volunteers

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 30th Nov 2007

A Derbyshire charity has been given £166,000 to help young disabled people to become volunteers.

Derbyshire Coalition for Inclusive Living has been awarded the money from the Youth Volunteering Charity.

The coalition said the money would allow them to find out what disabled young people want to do and also help them to do it. Michelle Dura, who has a disabled 15-year-old son, said the scheme would make "a huge difference".

The coalition said the money would pay for staff to liaise with young people and identify the sort of voluntary work they favoured. It would also go towards practical help like accessible transport, a peer support network and assistance while volunteering.

Heather Doughty, the director of Derbyshire Coalition for Inclusive Living, said: "Some organisations, which perhaps aren't used to having disabled people volunteer for them, they can be a bit nervous about what this might require."

Mrs Dura said it was important her son, Adam, got out to volunteer. "He likes meeting people and it makes a huge difference to his life to get into the community and he gets a thrill out of helping others."

The charity aims to help about 100 people over the next three years.