Policy and care in tandem: structuring youth volunteerism for psychological benefits in pediatric palliative care

Terminally ill children (TIC) in pediatric palliative care often encounter psychological deprivation due to isolation, impacting their self-discovery and identity formation. The Young Pioneer Voluntary Teams (YPVTs), initiated by the Ministry of Education of China, address these challenges while also benefiting adolescents with enhanced self-esteem and self-efficacy. However, the current lack of a standardized approach in integrating youth volunteerism into pediatric care raises concerns about potential negative impacts on TIC. This paper introduces a framework to standardize YPVTs training, focusing on psychological resilience, respectful attitudes, and enthusiasm, which are crucial for quality engagement with TIC. This framework includes a selection session, a training session, a feedback collection mechanism, and a framework evaluation. The selection session is composed of a questionnaire for basic information, the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Motivation of Volunteers Scale, accompanying a scenario-based interview to assess genuineness of their capability to navigate situational challenges. The training session starts with program orientation and responsibility introduction. Lectures, workshops, and exercises are incorporated, aiming to strengthen the three main qualities. Further feedback will be collected from YPVTs with the assistance from child psychologists to detect present flaws and enhance operational quality. Framework effectiveness is evaluated by reassessing the Identity Scale for Adolescents, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Motivation of Volunteers Scale for YPVTs and TIC. Developed through observations at a pediatric palliative care center in China, this framework aims to enhance the well-being of both TIC and YPVTs, embodying person-centered care in healthcare.