Int Conf AIDS 1993 Jun 6-11; 9:119 (abstract no. WS-D16-5) Sunderland RH, Shelp EE; Foundation for Interfaith Research and Ministry, Houston, Texas.
We plan to report on the reduction of volunteer burn-out in our Houston model of AIDS-related care services, currently provided by 1300 volunteers organized in sixty groups ("Care Teams") which, in 1992, provided more than 400 HIV-infected individuals with over 125,000 hours of supportive services. Care Team volunteers meet monthly in support sessions in which their activities are supervised by professional staff. The supervisory sessions meet members' grief needs, provide for accountability and quality control, and facilitate continuing education for Care Team members. Care Teams are based in local religious organizations ("congregations"), one of the most wide-spread but under-used forms of social organization. Congregations provide a readily available source of volunteers, and an additional measure of support for Care Team members. The intensive level of supervision, augmented by the Care Team structure of close, individual support within a small group, has provided an effective answer to volunteer burnout, which has been negligible over a period of five years. Data will be presented that indicate that supervised group-based service is an effective alternative to the one-to-one "buddy" system that has been used widely in response to HIV disease.
Keywords: AEGIS, Voluntary Workers, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Grief, organization & administration, ICA9 930606
WSD165
