Academic Health Department - Academic Public Health Volunteer Corps

Since April 2020, the APHVC has placed hundreds of volunteers with local boards of health throughout Massachusetts. Each local board is assigned a ‘team lead,’ who is their single point of contact. The team lead then organizes and mobilizes a team of mainly part-time volunteers to support the local board. Volunteers include alumni, staff, faculty, and current students, ranging from undergraduates through doctoral level.

How do I request APHVC volunteers for my local board of health/health department?

The APHVC plans to place hundreds of volunteers with local boards of health throughout the summer. If you would like to arrange a team of volunteers to support your local board of health, please contact Dawn Sibor, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Officer Association.

What are some examples of APHVC volunteer’s efforts?

Some of the services that volunteers can provide include those listed below. Download a list of services provided by volunteers. This list will continue to be expanded with new examples added below as they become available.

Service	Potential uses	Examples
This Social Media Toolkit provides guidance for Local Boards of Health (LBOHs) in Massachusetts on communicating effectively about COVID-19 using social media to provide much needed local information, updates, and support to their communities. It includes guidance on how to select social media platforms, create messages, develop outreach strategies, and access volunteers from the Academic Public Health Volunteer Corps to assist with implementation. The toolkit was created by faculty, students, and alumni at Tufts University School of Medicine from the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine. It is available with supplemental material at sites.tufts.edu/socialmediatoolkit/	Provides guidance on how to select social media platforms, create messages, develop outreach strategies	Social Media Toolkit (PDF) Social Media Toolkit (Word)
Health Communication (Print, Local TV, Social Media, Websites)	Town/city social media development and management Activity-specific messaging and infographics Population-specific messaging and infographics Talking points for media conferences and public outreach	Social Media Posting Package Cleaning Suggestions General Social Distancing Tips Town Park Signs Halloween Guidance
Community Outreach	Wellness phone calls for seniors Wellness phone calls for non-English speaking communities Infographics for marginalized groups Mental health support and resources	Mental Health Tips Holiday Social Distancing Tips Town Park Signs
Translation Services (Available in more than 10 languages)	Written and oral translations Needs assessment to identify community language needs	Single room Guidance - Simplified Chinese Covid 19 Fact Sheet - Greek Cleaning and Disinfecting - Russian Senior Housing Advice - Russian
Data Analysis & Presentation	Charts/Graphs Community-level data analysis GIS Analysis Mapping	Location Mapping Hotline Graphic