Abstract:
Although there has been an increase in the number of publications exploring stress and burnout in those working in helping and caring roles, there is a relative lack of published research relating to volunteers. Volunteers working with refugees may have a high risk of developing compassion fatigue, burnout and secondary traumatic stress, due to the vulnerability of the population they help and the exposure the volunteer may have to the refugee’s suffering. There have been several studies that demonstrate that apart from the existence of compassion fatigue, helpers may develop compassion satisfaction – which is a pleasurable feeling derived from being able to help others. The motivation to volunteer may correlate with compassion and therefore influence the development of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. The current study aimed to identify common stressors; levels of compassion fatigue (CF) (both burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)); and compassion satisfaction (CS); the motivation of volunteer helpers, and how work with refugees influences levels of CF and CS. In this longitudinal study participants (n = 20) completed questionnaires, which consisted of the ProQOL tool and nine additional questions. Additional questions were formulated after discussion in a focus group of experienced volunteers in the New Zealand Red Cross Refugee Services. To identify the impact of work with refugees, newly recruited volunteer helpers were invited to answer the questionnaire before they started to work with refugees and then again after two months. Comparison of the survey results demonstrated no significant difference between samples of the extent of CF and CS. It is most likely, that this result was related to the limitations of the study, in particular limitations of both the time between sampling and the small number of participants. However, the study was able to identify common stressors and motivators in volunteers working with refugees.
