Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions

What’s involved with creating a volunteer profile?

To create a volunteer profile, follow the steps below:

On the homepage, click SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER.
Complete all required (*) demographic information on the first page, provide your email address and create a password.
1. A verification code will be sent to your email. Copy from your email, paste into the application, and click submit.
On page 2, select your counties of interest, license type, and profession (DDS/DMD, LVN, MD/DO, PA, PharmD, or RN).
1. If you are a student, complete the section with School Name, Program Director name and contact, and provide verification of your enrollment.
On page 3, you will be asked to submit a Sterling Volunteers background check. Please complete your background check in a new browser window. After your background check is submitted, navigate back to your Ask a Nurse application and click “next.”
While your background check is processing, please complete your competencies. Open each competency link and review all of the information. If you feel you meet the requirements, click each checkbox confirming your attestation to each competency. Proceed through the remaining sections and click “submit.”
Please note, you must review each competency and click each attestation checkbox in order to be approved to volunteer.
Success! You will receive an email within two business days confirming your approval status.

When will I know if I’m approved to volunteer?

After submitting your application you will receive an email from us within 2 business days confirming your approval status. Once approved, you will be ready to volunteer! Follow the link in your email or click SEARCH OPPORTUNITIES on the homepage to find available events!

How do I sign up for a volunteer event?

Once you receive the email notification that you have been approved to volunteer, follow the steps below:

On the homepage, click SEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Select an opportunity of interest
Click sign up at the bottom of the page

You will receive a confirmation email for your selected event.

What if I can’t attend a volunteer event?

If you would like to remove yourself from a volunteer event, follow the steps below:

Login to VaxForce.org with your email and password
Click the “My Account” tab on the homepage
On the next screen, below the Upcoming Opportunities section, you will see your selected event. Simply click “Remove me” and confirm the action.

We hope to see you at future events!

Students

How do I sign up as a student volunteer?

All student and professional volunteers must first create a profile and complete their Sterling Volunteers background check. Once approved, all students MUST sign up as a team for volunteer events. Please see the “How do I sign up as a Volunteer Team” section below to register your team!

How do I sign up as a Volunteer Team?

Each volunteer on your team must create a profile and pass their Sterling Volunteers background check. Once approved, navigate to the homepage and click SEARCH OPPORTUNITIES. Select the opportunity of interest. At the bottom of the page, click Sign up with a team.

You will be able to add your team’s name, team’s description, fellow members with their respective contact information, and select your team’s captain. Each team MUST have a team captain.

General

What type of volunteer activities does VaxForce encompass?

There are four possible types of volunteer activities for vaccination agencies to choose from:

Supplementing Existing Clinic/Agency Staff for Clinic/Agency Events	Leading Health Volunteers for Outreach Vaccination Events	Telehealth Outreach (outbound calls)	Patient Education and Clinical Advice Line (inbound calls)
Clinic or clinical agencies who want to expand their existing efforts but need health volunteers can post their vaccination events on VaxForce. In this situation, the clinic or clinical agency will lead the event and volunteers will supplement the existing workforce under the direction of the clinic/agency staff.	Some community agencies have expressed interest in partnering with clinics or clinical agencies to conduct outreach vaccination events. However, these community agencies are not eligible to enroll in myCAvax (formerly CalVax) and the CAIR2/RIDE/SDIR system. There will be a Lead Volunteer who will have all of the CDPH-required training to lead the event. The community agency will handle the general operation logistics and the VaxForce Lead Volunteer will handle the orientation, onboarding, and healthcare logistics of the event. An agreement or MOU will be created between VaxForce and the clinic/clinical agency.	If clinics, clinical agencies, or community agencies want to do outreach to hard-to-reach members in a community, VaxForce volunteers can help call or contact persons on the clinic, clinical agency, or community agency lists. Healthcare professional skills of assessment, active listening, patient education, building trust, motivational interviewing, and care coordination that are essential in increasing the vaccination rates in these hard-to-reach communities.	Some organizations may need additional support in answering questions from people who are hesitant about receiving the vaccine. Agencies may be doing outreach with non-healthcare volunteers. Should additional support from healthcare providers be needed, VaxForce can help provide volunteers for patient education, motivational interviewing, clinical (not medical) advice, and possibly care coordination by giving resources of vaccination events in the community.

Supplementing Existing Clinic/Agency Staff for Clinic/Agency Events

Leading Health Volunteers for Outreach Vaccination Events

Telehealth Outreach (outbound calls)

Patient Education and Clinical Advice Line (inbound calls)

Clinic or clinical agencies who want to expand their existing efforts but need health volunteers can post their vaccination events on VaxForce. In this situation, the clinic or clinical agency will lead the event and volunteers will supplement the existing workforce under the direction of the clinic/agency staff.

Some community agencies have expressed interest in partnering with clinics or clinical agencies to conduct outreach vaccination events. However, these community agencies are not eligible to enroll in myCAvax (formerly CalVax) and the CAIR2/RIDE/SDIR system.

There will be a Lead Volunteer who will have all of the CDPH-required training to lead the event. The community agency will handle the general operation logistics and the VaxForce Lead Volunteer will handle the orientation, onboarding, and healthcare logistics of the event.

An agreement or MOU will be created between VaxForce and the clinic/clinical agency.

If clinics, clinical agencies, or community agencies want to do outreach to hard-to-reach members in a community, VaxForce volunteers can help call or contact persons on the clinic, clinical agency, or community agency lists.

Healthcare professional skills of assessment, active listening, patient education, building trust, motivational interviewing, and care coordination that are essential in increasing the vaccination rates in these hard-to-reach communities.

Some organizations may need additional support in answering questions from people who are hesitant about receiving the vaccine. Agencies may be doing outreach with non-healthcare volunteers. Should additional support from healthcare providers be needed, VaxForce can help provide volunteers for patient education, motivational interviewing, clinical (not medical) advice, and possibly care coordination by giving resources of vaccination events in the community.

For any additional questions, please email vaxforce@healthimpact.org