Table 1 Summary of context-mechanism-outcomes identified for mobilising volunteers for local groups, communities, and organisations.
Context (Equity) | Mechanism | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
• Types of occupation groups • Resources and skills before the pandemic • Pre-existing networks and relationships | Developing role identity through gaining experience | • Confidence • Develop skills and knowledge • Personal development • Encourage future volunteering • Improving(decreasing) well being |
Individual • People with vulnerabilities • People with more resources and capacity Agency • Technology use • Previous structure for service delivery in health care settings Social system: • Financial support policies | Adaptability | • Being able to address the urgent needs of service users • Becoming a volunteer • Having new ways of working • Having new services/continuing of services • Having new volunteer opportunities • Improving efficiency |
• People working on the frontline • Level of social capital | Supporting volunteers: Mental and well-being support for volunteers | • Mental health and well-being |
• The volunteer workforce does not (always) represent the whole population | Supporting volunteers: Material support | • Sustaining and broadening volunteer opportunities |
• Disadvantaged groups | Supporting volunteers: Provide support through suitable training and management | • Sustaining and broadening volunteer opportunities |
• Community members in need • Social capital- bonding • Socially excluded populations | Supporting volunteers: Support as activism | • Basic essentials for community members • Inclusiveness |
• Not all populations can act e.g., disadvantaged populations | Altruism and intrinsic motivation | • Becoming a volunteer |
• Across levels: proactive connections such as community hubs; mutual aid groups and community groups; Mutual understanding and trust | Coordination | • Working more effectively • Having different approaches of working • Having (Less) duplication • Sharing information • Managing volunteer mobilisation |
• At community level: Mutual aid groups, local community groups | Trust and sense of community | • Identifying resources • Making timely decisions • Social capital such as constructing new social relations and having new relationships • Scaling up |
