Addressing the psychological stress of volunteers

Volunteers are more vulnerable to adverse mental health reactions and psychosocial ill-being during and following a

Unstable condition involving an impending abrupt or significant change that requires urgent attention and action to protect life, assets, property or the environment.
 

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intervention than salaried staff working as crisis responders on a daily basis. Volunteers are more vulnerable because they are part of the community they serve and therefore exposed to the same losses and challenges, volunteers receive limited

Activities designed to facilitate the learning and development of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and to improve the performance of specific tasks or roles.

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, have less or most often no crisis experience and they are younger. These vulnerabilities apply even more strongly to spontaneous volunteers than affiliated volunteers.Identification with victims as a friend, low protection of personal safety, severity of exposure to gruesome events and stories during

Situation where widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses have occurred which exceeded the ability of the affected organisation, community or society to respond and recover using its own resources.

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work, anxiety sensitivity, and lack of post- Situation where widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses have occurred which exceeded the ability of the affected organisation, community or society to respond and recover using its own resources.

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social support, unrealistic expectation of own abilities, heroic aspirations, ill-defined or poorly understood tasks and lack of perceived support from team leaders and the

Person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships to achieve its objectives.
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes, but is not limited to, sole trader, company, corporation, firm, enterprise, authority, partnership, charity or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated or not, public or private.
Note 2 to entry: For organizations with more than one operating unit, a single operating unit can be defined as an organization.

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lead are among the main contributors to increase vulnerabilities and related to greater psychopathology among volunteers post-event.

References in the literature: Responders health and safety is addressed by the literature, including mental health and psychosocial issues. However, thespecific case ofvolunteers has received very limited interest and requires significant attend from research to be understood.