Young emergency management volunteers have come together at CFA’s first Young Members Forum to share ideas and discuss the future of volunteering in Victoria.
Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Ben Carroll officially opened the forum today which saw 200 young volunteers meet and work together from all over the state.
Young members from the Country Fire Authority, Australia Volunteer Coast Guard, St John, Red Cross, VICSES and Ambulance Victoria discussed the future of volunteerism, culture, and recruitment in emergency services.
The Andrews Labor Government is working with volunteer-based agencies to support volunteerism in Victoria and is proud to have signed the Emergency Management Volunteer Statement.
This statement is a joint commitment from Government and Victoria’s emergency management agencies to engage with all volunteers through mechanisms such as today’s Young Member’s Forum, the Volunteers Consultative Forum and the soon to come Multi-agency Youth Network.
Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Ben Carroll
“Young people are the future of volunteering and it is vital that we engage with them on what they think works, what needs more attention and how we can embrace innovation.
“The development of this forum is a great step forward in creating a structured long-term engagement program for young volunteers.”
“I want to thank young volunteers for the time and commitment they put into keeping Victorian communities safe and I encourage other young people to get involved with our emergency management organisations.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020