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olunteerism Strategy
Discussion Paper : 2017
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Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Challenges facing traditional volunteerism
Emergency service volunteers are a key component in the provision
of emergency services and building community capability and
resilience in Queensland. However, challenges to traditional models
of volunteerism, encompassed in societal and environmental changes,
will significantly impact ongoing and future emergency service
delivery.
The prevalence of severe weather and fire events is predicted to rise in Queensland.
This is due to the effects of climate change as well as increased risks posed from
man-made activities including changes to land management and use through to the
potential threat of terrorism.
Add to this the changing trends in traditional models of volunteerism, which include
an ageing population, people becoming increasingly time-poor, competing priorities,
digital disruptions, less attraction to long-term commitments to volunteerism and
economic conditions that cause people to move away from their communities for
work, means risks to providing an ongoing and sustainable emergency volunteer
service are increased.
These challenges are also accompanied by the time and effort to maintain skills
and competencies of volunteers as well as barriers to training and opportunities
for volunteers.
Historically, the SES and RFS developed on a community’s notion of self-reliance
and responding to local community needs which has led to a disconnect between
capability and community risk. Factoring how emergency service organisations can
sustainably support the community’s growing needs within their resource model is
often exacerbated by the increased expectation of response, support and ongoing
service delivery from the broader community.
These issues, accompanied by challenges to traditional volunteerism, have
highlighted the need for organisations to explore and invest in more flexible models
of volunteerism if they are to rise to meet further challenges.