How it Works
The Contact Tracing Reserves is managed by a non-profit group of volunteers. Our aim to identify & prepare a "reserve army" of health professionals ready to become contact tracers in the event of an emergency.
1. Identification
Contact tracing is people helping other people. Communicating well and being empathetic are a key part of the job. To do that well you've got to be able to build a rapport over the phone, including knowing how to talk to people but also knowing how to actively listen.
We identify people interested in becoming a contact tracer through our networks and via word of mouth. Sometimes people find us via our website.
2. Pre-training and application
Before you apply to the Contact Tracing Reserves, please to complete these Case Investigation & Close Contact Tracing programs from the Ministry of Health (NZ). Once complete (about 2 hours) download your certificates (or take a screenshot of the dashboard) then submit an application to us via this website.
3. Build your profile
We will contact you and then invite you to build a profile about yourself on our volunteer database. This includes your name, contact details, qualifications, skills, location information, a bio, perhaps your photo, and your availability for training or "deployment". You can edit your profile at any time. Your profile will be seen by other members of the Contact Tracing Reserves as well as partners. This may include public health units or contracted contact tracing providers. One of our aims is to encourage cross-profession collaboration, learning and relationship building.
4. Basic training
We do our best to match you with a public health unit or contracted provider who can take you through their training program. This may include further online learning, role play and practice using the National Contact Tracing Solution (NCTS) - a database built on the Salesforce platform.
We also hope to inspire allied health professional associations to help us with webinars and learning opportunities covering topics such as Motivational Interviewing, Practical Privacy, and Equity in the Health System.
5. Deployment
If Covid-19 surges again in your community, and the public health professionals are under pressure, you may be asked to help. We hope you will by then have a relationship with your public health unit or a contracted provider private, and if not we will help match you where you are needed. We aim to help expand the contact tracing workforce quickly and efficiently.