AFAC managed a national emergency management project on behalf of the Australian Emergency Management Volunteer Forum (AEMVF) aimed at increasing the participation of youth and culturally and linguistically (CALD) communities in emergency management (EM) volunteering. The project outcomes were designed to act as an enabler to the national EM industry to assist in building a more sustainable, diverse and representative volunteering profile. This presentation will cover three outputs of this project; the production of a testimonial video; the Young EM Volunteers ‘Change It Up’ event; and the development of The Diversity Model.

Australia has an ageing population and younger people need to become more involved in EM volunteering to assist in the sustainability of the industry. Two outcomes of the project addressed this issue and worked to raise the profile of young volunteers. A video was produced showcasing testimonials from seven volunteers collectively discussing their experiences, challenges and what they can offer the EM sector. Additionally, the ‘Change It Up’ event gave 15 volunteers an opportunity to ‘pitch’ ideas to better engage young members in the industry, providing solutions to improve youth recruitment and retention across the national sector. The event demonstrated the skills, dedication and commitment that young volunteers have, challenging the conventional Generation Y stereotype.

As well as improving age diversity, improving cultural diversity across the EM industry is also a key challenge. A framework was developed along with The Diversity Model, which is addresses the critical components required to assist organisations in the engagement of potential volunteers from diverse demographics. The Model identifies organisational culture as the core component, with four surrounding elements concerning processes and initiatives for agencies to consider when designing programs to engage diverse volunteers.