Volunteers and Voluntary Sector SIG

AIMS
This SIG aims to engage a diverse community of individuals interested in understanding and enhancing the role and contributions of non-state actors (NSAs)/non-state providers (NSPs) as partners in integrated care.

OBJECTIVES
The WHO (Organization, 2006) defined health workers as “all people engaged in actions whose primary intent is to enhance health” and includes volunteers in this definition. NSAs are an essential part of health and social care delivery around the world. As the literature focused on integrated care begins to grow, so too does the attention given to the role of NSAs. What remains unclear is the type, nature and extent of the relationship these actors have with the state. Using the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care, this community of interest seeks to understand and explore the relationship between NSAs/NSPs and the state in the provision of integrated care, and to set a common vision for this partnership.

With such an extensive array of typologies used to refer to non-state entities, this community will also seek to distinguish and clarify these according to the type and level of service they support, and the way in which they relate to the state.

ACTIVITIES
Starting with community-building conversations, this SIG provides a platform for members to share experiences, knowledge, practical resources, and to collaborate on research and education for the non-state sector. Members will shape the scope of these sequential activities and outputs, which will include:

Identifying members of this community of interest
• Blogs
• Webinars

Convening for community-building conversations
• Meetings and conferences
• Study visits

Setting a common vision for research NSAs/NSPs in integrated care
• Position papers
• Consensus research agenda

Collaborating on research interests
• Collaborative research studies
• Visiting scholar opportunities

Disseminating findings to help meet our aim
• Collaborative research project publications
• Conference presentations

GET INVOLVED
The SIG is for practitioners, educators, managers, researchers, community organizations, health and social care volunteers, and policy makers engaged in planning, designing and delivering health and social care. If you have an interest in the role of the not-for-profit sector in integrated care, practical experience or resources to share, a question for community members, or suggestions for future activities please contact Rachel Thombs, our facilitator, rachel.thombs@utoronto.ca

Michelle Nelson

Principal Investigator, Collaboratory for Research and Innovation; Sinai Health System & Assistant Professor, IHPME, University of Toronto and is the Special Interest lead for Volunteers and Voluntary Sector
E: Michelle.Nelson@sinaihealthsystem.ca