Table 4.

Training delivery characteristics of existing online volunteer training programs.

Organization/Study Title	Program name	Details Of Training Frequency/Length/Delivery mode	Topic covered	Materials	Feasibility promoting factors
Calgary Seniors Resource Society	Seniors Connect- Caregivers	12-min online video Numerous videos to go back to Self-paced	Seniors Connected—Caregiving video: Roles of a caregiver; caregiver significance; caregiver burnout; understanding the challenges; warning signs and risks	Online videos	Topic relevancy, low attrition, and high engagement
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association	Hospice palliative care volunteers: A training program—online version	Nine learning modules Accompanying toolkit (to be done on your own after training) Self-guided, either with print material or online	Goals of hospice palliative care; volunteer role and boundaries; effective communication; privacy and confidentiality; how attitudes toward death and dying can shape their support of the dying person; cultural and spiritual beliefs in death and dying; how to provide spiritual care but also know when to ask for help; managing pain and symptoms; infection control; the context of being in someone's home; loss of appetite; transferring and lifting the person; stages of grief; helping children and older people cope with grief; stress management	Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers: A Training Program (printed and online copies available); contains a series of nine learning modules specific to the Volunteer's role in Hospice Palliative Care, and an accompanying toolkit that can be used to guide the Volunteer through the learning modules.	Topic relevancy
Circle of Care	Friendly Visitors	One time training ~30 min Self-paced	General role responsibilities	Printable copy of role guidelines/expectations	Not reported
Red Cross Alliance	Health TAPESTRY	Combination of in-person and online modules. Continued access to online information may be offered to volunteers on new topics or areas of need. Volunteer passes quizzes to be approved to work with clients	Privacy and confidentiality, effective communication, conflict resolution, data gathering tools, motivational interviewing, boundaries, risk management and health and safety, mental health, TAPESTRY technology	There are also Additional Resources to learn more about a topic and Interactive Community Pages with discussion boards and the chance to connect with other volunteers and staff.	Topic Relevance
Hospice Toronto	Hospice Toronto	One-time training followed by on-going support from community development coordinator, varies by role. The complementary therapy volunteers undergo 35+ h of “core hospice training” and the HHV/CCCHs do 14+ h of training Training was completed live with additional readings.	Introduction to hospice, palliative care, role of the volunteer, understanding boundaries, communication skills, pain and symptom management, understanding the dying process, spirituality, grief and bereavement, care for the caregiver, family dynamics, ethics, impact Illness and psychosocial concerns, cultural considerations, infection prevention and control, body mechanics, assists and hands on care	A magnitude of resources available online	Topic relevance
YeeHong Centre for Geriatric Care	Friendly Visitors	There is online volunteer training that takes ~30 min to complete. There are ongoing training sessions throughout the year to enhance volunteers' skills in delivering service. Some training sessions are mandatory. Orientation is live but learning modules are self-paced	Residents' bill of rights; privacy and confidentiality, accessible customer service, abuse and zero tolerance, mandatory reporting and whistle blowing, responsive behaviors, universal infection control practice, client and workplace safety, emergency protocol, incident reporting, complaint procedure	Handout (PDF), volunteer handbook, virtual presentation (Prezi)	Not reported