Theme COHEHRE Conference 2011 – Lisbon, Portugal

Balancing between formal and informal care

                                                                                          

Informal Care; Social Responsibility;

Changing professional and voluntary roles; Employability

                                                                                                            

“In the European Union, millions of citizens are volunteering. People of all ages make a positive contribution to their community by investing some of their free time in civil society organizations, in youth clubs, in hospitals, in schools, in sport clubs, etc.

For the Commission, volunteering is an active expression of civic participation and strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion. Volunteering also provides important learning opportunities, because involvement in voluntary activities can provide people with new skills and competences and can even improve their employability. This is particularly important in this time of economic crisis.” (European Commission 8^th June 2009)

                                                                                                                                              

The health professions roles’ has been changing in response to the evolution of demography, society, lifestyle and epidemiology. From being health professionals concerned with acute care, we are becoming health professionals concerned with chronic care and management of conditions and disabilities (as well as acute care, of course!).                                

                                                              

As a result of these changes, voluntary work has gained increasing relevance in health care. The type of care needed and the number of qualified health professionals are contributing factors to this situation.

According to the European Commission, the potential of volunteering for social and economic development has been under-exploited. But for this to become a reality in health and social care, the boundaries between formal and informal care need to be clarified. Health professionals’ education needs to take this into account and prepare professionals for their new roles, which include the relationship with volunteers.

Higher education institutions may see this as a danger to the quality of care and/or may want to have a say in the training of such volunteers. The roles of health professional and volunteer need to be discussed and understood!