Professor Patricia Wilson, P.W.Wilson@kent.ac.uk
4 May 2020 - 4 September 2020
How can a community-based volunteer workforce be rapidly and safely implemented? What is the impact of a community-based volunteer workforce on providing support for self-isolating and vulnerable older members of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Project Objectives:
- Conduct a rapid review of existing evidence on the implementation and impact of community-based volunteers supporting older vulnerable people.
- Map the range of approaches to organising and supporting volunteers within the statutory and third sector organisations working in the community across Kent, Surrey, Sussex (KSS).
Ascertain how Covid-19 has impacted on pre-existing volunteer services supporting older vulnerable people. - Explore the experience and impact of KSS COVID-19 volunteers through undertaking qualitative telephone interviews with health and social care practitioners, those organising and supporting volunteers, volunteers and recipients of their support.
- Identify how organisations and volunteers identify and communicate with recipients of support, particularly those who do not use digital (excluding phones) methods.
- Develop a set of key messages for KSS local authority (community hubs), local resilience forums, health and social care providers, voluntary organisations and community groups in order to facilitate safe implementation of a COVID-19 volunteer workforce.
Funder/funding stream
NIHR via Sussex Partnership NHS Trust
Funding:£24,339
Who is involved
- Dr Julie MacInnes, Project Manager, University of Kent
- Sabrena Jaswal, Research Assistant, University of Kent
- Dr Vanessa Abrahamson, Advisory group
- Kat Frere-Smith, Research Assistant, BSMS
- Dr Priya Paudyal, Advisory group
- Prof Heather Gage, Health Economics, University of Surrey
- Dr Bridget Jones, Research Assistant
- Dr Jo Armes, Advisory group
- Rebecca Sharp, Implementation lead, ARC/AHSN