Role and experiences of youth community health volunteers in a community health coaching programme for older adults in Singapore: a qualitative study

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Introduction: Older adults are often faced with a multitude of physical and social challenges that impede their ability to age healthily. To tackle this issue, the use of trained lay volunteers as health advocates has become increasingly popular; however, their perceptions and experiences remain to be explored. This study aimed to explore the experiences of youth community health volunteers (YCHVs) who participated in HealthStart, a community health coaching programme for older adults in Singapore. Methods: We conducted purposive sampling and carried out semi-structured interviews with 16 YCHVs and eight healthcare volunteers. Data were analysed thematically using deductive and inductive coding. Results: We generated four themes: (1) structured training, resources, and in-person mentorship helped YCHVs effectively support older adults in their health journeys, (2) facilitators and barriers influenced older adults' receptiveness to YCHVs, (3) YCHV motivations to volunteer, and (4) YCHVs becoming trained health advocates and contributing to preventive health strategies. Findings illustrated the facilitators and challenges experienced by YCHVs and the contributions they can make to preventive health strategies. Conclusion: The exploration of YCHVs' motivation and experience can potentially improve the uptake, acceptability, and satisfaction of using trained youth health advocates in community health coaching programmes for older adults.

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