Mobilising volunteer groups, communities and agencies during the pandemic: a rapid realist view of the evidence

The COVID-19 pandemic represented a rise in ‘people power’ globally, expressed through manifold acts of kindness, solidarity and mutualism as communities organised and came together where governments could or would not. In this study we were interested in the mechanisms through which communities and agencies extended existing practices and structures to respond to the pandemic or adopted new ways of organising. We undertook a rapid realist systematic review, following established steps and drawing on the Volunteer Process Model as our core theory. We worked with 59 studies to identify the mechanisms through which individuals, agencies and organisations, and communities mobilised and we identified six mechanisms. Gaining experience and developing role identity were key in mobilising volunteers to undertake activities and also resulted in positive outcomes for the volunteers themselves. Adaptability ensured that individuals, groups and local agencies and organisations were able to respond to the changing needs of beneficiary groups. Co-ordination helped communities, agencies and mutual aid groups to work together rather than in competition. Emotional support, support in the form of social and material recognition, and support through training were important in sustaining a volunteer workforce and protecting the wellbeing of the volunteer workforce. Altruism was a key motivator for stepping up during the pandemic and becoming a volunteer while greater trust was linked with the extent to which groups and communities were able to scale up efforts to respond to higher demands during the pandemic. While the COVID-19 pandemic represented a period of great social upheaval, it illuminated the ‘power of people’ working together. Our findings identify six key mechanisms that supported this mobilisation, which may be critical to activate in future health emergencies, but are also largely reflective of investments made before the pandemic to support the development of social capital and the development of volunteering infrastructure.