Abstract
BackgroundCapacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions have the potential to benefit both partners particularly in staff development. Previous research suggests that volunteering can contribute to professional development but there is little evidence on how learning is acquired, the barriers and facilitators to learning in this context or the process of translation of learning to the home environment.ResultsVolunteers from a healthcare partnership between the UK and Somaliland reported learning in communication, interdisciplinary working, teaching, management, leadership and service development. This learning came from observing familiar practices in unfamiliar environments; alternative solutions to familiar problems; learning about Somali culture; opportunities to assume higher levels of responsibility and new professional relationships. There was variability in the extent of translation to NHS practice. Time and support available for reflection and mentoring were important facilitators of this process.ConclusionsThe professional development outcomes documented in this study came directly from the experience of volunteering. Experiential learning theory suggests that this requires a complex process of critical reflection and new knowledge generation, testing and translation for use in new contexts. This process benefits from identification of learning as an important element of volunteering and support for reflection and the translation translation of learning to UK contexts. We suggest that missed opportunities for volunteer learning will remain until the volunteering process is overtly framed as part of continuing professional development.
Highlights
Capacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions have the potential to benefit both partners in staff development
Capacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions in high income countries and collaborating institutions in low or middle income countries have the potential to benefit both partners [1,2,3]. The work of these partnerships is often done by volunteer healthcare professionals and is thought to benefit both the individual volunteers through personal and professional development and the institutions where they work [1, 3]
We aimed to address these questions by studying the learning process and transferability of learning for volunteers working within a long term healthcare partnership between Kings Health Partners, the Tropical Health & Education Trust and Tillson et al Globalization and Health (2016) 12:9 key healthcare educational institutions in Somaliland (Edna Adan Maternity Hospital, Boroma Group Hospital, and Boroma medical school)
Summary
Capacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions have the potential to benefit both partners in staff development. Capacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions in high income countries and collaborating institutions in low or middle income countries have the potential to benefit both partners [1,2,3] The work of these partnerships is often done by volunteer healthcare professionals and is thought to benefit both the individual volunteers through personal and professional development and the institutions where they work [1, 3]. The literature suggests that a wide range of skills can be attained but there is little evidence on how learning is acquired, the barriers and facilitators to learning in this context and the transferability of learning to work in high income countries.
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