Evidence Informed Guidance for Volunteer Engagement in Pandemic Response

Faced with health and social needs that are outpacing available resources, we hear that 'pandemics require all hands on deck'. This includes volunteers, who support pandemic responses. The 2008 Canadian Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Planning Guide for the Health Sector noted that, "during an influenza pandemic there will be an increased need for people with health care training... Volunteers will also be a potentially vital source of human resources to facilitate the management of health care services during a pandemic". Volunteer response to COVID-19 was rapid and highly variable. A large number of organizations were unsure if, or how, to engage and utilize volunteers in the most effective, yet safe and appropriate manner. At the same time, however, we saw a groundswell of informal volunteer initiatives in Canada and internationally. This surge of spontaneous volunteer initiatives, while well intentioned, may increase the liability of those who volunteer without the proper screening, training and support. A sudden influx of volunteers can create liability issues and pose additional public health and safety risk. There is a need for a detailed 'how to' guide to deploy this essential health human resource safely, efficiently, and effectively. To our knowledge, this type of document is not available despite several recommendations and calls to action. Through this collaborative projects we will identify and disseminate best and promising practices on where, when and how to engage volunteers in community-based settings during a pandemic response.