2023 Volume 26 Issue 2 Pages 86-96
This study aimed to explore the support roles of commissioned welfare volunteers in Japan’s community-based integrated care system. Data were collected from eight commissioned welfare volunteers who consented to participate and had at least five years of experience in ‘A’ City. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants in eight areas of ‘A’ City. Data were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological methods and text mining to characterize the roles of commissioned welfare volunteers from different angles. The findings revealed that the participants were constantly prepared to provide community support as commissioned welfare volunteers by establishing relationships, while addressing resident health- and safety-related problems.
In addition, participants facilitated the coordination of social resources by building partnerships with the community general support center for residents with difficult-to-solve problems. Their support was independent, so they consistently shared experiences with colleagues, solved their troubles, tried to keep themselves safe, and maintained quality of support. As key information holders sharing and providing initial support in the community-based integrated care system, it is important for the volunteers to collaborate among themselves and multidisciplinary services.
