How can we help? A training needs assessment for non-health professionals and volunteers working with asylum seekers and refugees

Abstract

Aim: To understand the perceptions of volunteers and non-health professionals who worked, work, or will work with refugees and asylum seekers, about their training needs and to know if these perceptions are influenced by the training and/or experience background. Subject and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Ninety-one worldwide participants completed the online survey. The survey consisted of a sociodemographic questionnaire collecting data on previous working and training experience, and four experimental questionnaires assessing organizational management-, cultural abilities-, health-, and communication-related needs. Results: Approximately 80% of participants had previous working experience with asylum seekers and refugees, although only 48% had some kind of training in this area. The training received was quite diversified in terms of format and content. Of the total sample, 74% agreed that volunteers should undergo training to enhance their ability to assist vulnerable populations and cope with stressful situations. All the participants, regardless of training background or working experience with asylum seekers and refugees, considered it important that training programs included content related to organizational management, cultural, communication, and health. Conclusion: Non-health professionals and volunteers receive limited training and possess no disciplinary knowledge to perform their work, even though it has a huge social impact. It is crucial to develop more inclusive programs, capable of being used and adapted to different contexts where people are working with asylum seekers and refugees. Future studies could explore the effectiveness of innovative training methods and compare the training needs between non-health and health professionals.