Volunteerism

Joint Committee – 2 Minute Briefing

Issue 8, March 2014

Quick snapshot of the priority issues and actions worked through at the most recent Joint Committee meeting between CFA and VFBV. (Meeting held16th March 2014)

National Emergency Medal

Good progress is being made across the state with ceremonies for the presentations of the National Emergency Medal. The ceremonies will continue for most of the year, with OT&V organising dates and venues at appropriate times for recipients in conjunction with the Districts. Unfortunately, several have been postponed due to operational circumstances and will be rescheduled for later in the year. For those recipients that have not been able to attend the presentations, the need for each District to hold an additional presentation will be looked into, to ensure that all recipients receive their National Emergency Medal.

Jones Inquiry

Progress with the Jones Inquiry Implementation is being made with a Project Management Team now being implemented to ensure that a project plan is developed and implemented. A Steering Committee will also be setup to ensure that the project plan is being implemented in a timely manner. 

Victorian Auditor General’s (VAGO) Report - Emergency Services Volunteers

As part of the VAGO Reports recommendation to implement the Volunteer Strategy by December 2014, CFA will be meeting with SES to discuss a joint approach to the development of a Volunteer Strategy, aligned to the Emergency Services reform underway.

CFA have commenced a preliminary literature review of relevant local and international volunteer strategies and the development of the strategy will involve significant engagement and consultation will all members and VFBV. A project board and project team will be established to focus on the Volunteer Strategy in 2014.

Wellbeing Pilot

As part of the Volunteer Support Program, a Wellbeing Project is being rolled out across the state with 10 team members recruited and starting shortly for a 12 month pilot. The Wellbeing Project Pilot will examine and progress strategies and systems that support volunteers in areas such as member welfare/wellbeing, interpersonal relationship issues resolution particularly at an early stage before they become large issues affecting the volunteers and brigades. VFBV is very keen to track the progress of this pilot project to ensure the positive outcomes are embedded into CFA in a lasting way.

Brigade Sustainability

Brigade Sustainability team members (21 in total as part of the Volunteer Support Program) are being employed across the state to assist brigades to develop local initiatives, strategies and solutions to address brigade long term and short term viability. The Brigade and Membership Classification project is progressing with all brigades having to transition by 2016. To assist with the transition, Brigade Sustainability team members will be available to assist brigades and a booklet with the brigade structures and role descriptors will be available shortly.

Volunteerism

Joint Committee -2 Minute Briefing

Issue 7, November 2013

Quick snapshot of the priority issues and actions worked through at the most recent Joint Committee meeting between CFA and VFBV. (Meeting held 10/11/2013)

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDAL

CFA is well advanced with the planning and conduct of presentation ceremonies for members receiving the National Emergency Medal. In conjunction with Region and District staff, OTV staff are pre-planning ceremonies that fit in with members’ time and opportunity, this requiring some consideration of local impacts such as harvest, upcoming Fire Danger Period and the wishes of members for the timing and location of presentation events.  It should be noted that as a result some ceremonies are planned in conjunction with Regions and Districts during 2014.

VFBV senior representatives have witnessed many of the early ceremonies and agree with CFA that there is overwhelming acceptance and positive feedback for the events.

Members should be made aware that if any volunteer believes that would meet the eligibility criteria and have not been nominated to date, there is the opportunity to nominate at any time as there is no prescribed cut-off date.

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT PROGRAM

CFA has advised that additional field resources (31 additional project personnel) will be engaged and deployed within the Membership Sustainability and Member Welfare Projects for an extended 12 month trial. The Program Steering Committee and Working Group are actively working towards developing an ongoing volunteer support resource model – known to be a ‘BAISB Model – Business as it should be’.

VFBV representation at both Steering and Working Group levels is pursuing a ‘directly embedded model’ that would see 64 full time resources deployed to work directly with Brigades and volunteers – closely aligned to Fire and Emergency Management field support resources.

JUNIOR VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - JVDP

Congratulations to the 23 members who recently we were supported by CFA and the Government’s Valuing Volunteers Program and travelled to Sydney to participate in the Australian National Fire Cadet Championships in October.  Eighteen juniors accompanied by five junior leaders represented CFA with distinction and by all reports had a fulfilling and great time.

The Chief Officer is considering a report that would devolve the management of juniors to CFA Districts.  VFBV delegates are keen to understand the rationale for such a move, given the great work of the junior program staff at HQ who have delivered a level of consistency and program support across CFA.  The experiences of the past suggest that while responsibility for day to day administration might reside best locally, the accountabilities associated with meeting statutory and legal requirements of working with children may well still require organisational oversight.

JONES INQUIRY

CFA is still finalising the third progress report (June-August 2013) on Jones Inquiry Implementation.

Although concerned about the delay, VFBV is more concerned to ensure the progress reports are accurate. The CFA report indicates 23 of 141 agreed actions are complete, 44 are on target, 64 are behind target and 10 yet to start.

With concerns raised by VFBV and the Joint Steering Committee, CFA’s Lex de Man has commissioned an internal CFA review to identify actual progress and what can be done to get things moving and VFBV has raised its concerns with the CFA Board.

There has been good progress on a few issues but many more seem to be dragging on.  VFBV is trying to work constructively with CFA and hopes the review will be the catalyst for more focused effort. We will keep District Councils updated on progress against actions to ensure the benefits are delivered in full at Brigade level.

Visit our website www.vfbv.com.au to review the action plan and CFA status report.

Volunteerism Joint Committee -2 Minute Briefing 

Issue 6, 11 August 2013

Quick snapshot of the priority issues and actions worked through at the most recent Joint Committee meeting between CFA and VFBV. (Meeting held 11/08/2013)

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT PROGRAM (VSP)

An update was given on the Project, there are numerous projects underway with many small group meetings being conducted which have appeared most successful.  Project plans have been submitted to the steering committee with project staff working hard on the “discovery” phase to see what types and levels of support volunteers require.  By the end of October it is hoped that CFA will begin to form a view of the demonstrated need for permanent resources that will be required after the 1^st July 2014 with the ongoing permanent funding. 

When first launched by the then Brumby Labor Government the Police & Emergency Services Minister announced that the Volunteer Support Program would fund 64 positions to provide direct support for volunteers. CFA and VFBV are working jointly to deliver on this initiative.

Some of the projects underway at the moment are;

• Membership sustainability,
• Not wanting to look at just Operational needs,
• Mix of membership
• How brigades deal with the issues of declining populations or diversity from which to draw future membership?
• The concept of a CFA Alumni, Investigate volunteer (member) support initiatives that other organisations such as Defence Force, Service Clubs, Forums, and Universities have and are using.
• 1800 help number – as a single information portal for member help/queries;
• CFA shop relaunched by December (State Logistics Centre are willing to participate), there would be a small mark up to ensure costs are covered - not to there to make a profit.

VSP officers have been encouraged to contact VFBV State Councillors or District Council Executive if they have issues of "coming" into the district, also let Kate Harrap know if any issues.

CFA VOLUNTEER STRATEGY - DEVELOPMENT

A working party is to be established, with representation sought from VFBV and any volunteer members willing to participate. This is key body of work for CFA and rated a high priority in Jones Report, has prominence within the Fire Services Commissioner’s Sector wide strategy and is also a key project of the Department of Justice under their Valuing Volunteers Program VSP.  VFBV officers and through our Joint Committees are contributing partners in this strategies design and implementation.

As part of the design, CFA will engage other Volunteer organisations (i.e. SES, Surf lifesaving) to ensure complementary programs and themes are developed. Focus will be to embark in one direction with all agencies involved, must also involve VESA with VFBV and any other volunteer representative organisations.

JUNIOR MEMBERS – ID CARDS COMING

CFA ID cards will soon be available to junior members, they will be blue in colour, with the expiry date when they turn 16 years of age.  Further information has been asked for to see if the ID card can also have the name of their brigade on it.

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDAL (NEM)

CFA has received 3730 approved medal sets from the Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat in Canberra.  Another 1,000 nominations are still under consideration.  It is likely that the first awards of this batch of medals will commence in September/October this year. 

The NEM Working Party has meet numerous times, looking at planning and conducting presentation ceremonies within each District giving recipients and family and friends the opportunity to attend. CFA is planning for presentations to be performed by a Board member, Executive Director, or Regional Director.

Issue 5, 19 May 2013

Quick snapshot of the priority issues and actions worked through at the most recent Joint Committee meeting between CFA and VFBV.

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT PACKAGE (VSP)

The recently formed VSP Management Team were in attendance with the members introducing themselves to the Joint Committee members.  Kate Harrap gave overview of the Project Team structure and responsibilities.  Additional new project staff will commence on 3rd June and a comprehensive induction process in being planned of which VFBV will be involved.  OT&V will be ensuring there is the right governance and reporting tools to complement the work and outcomes for the project.

VSP Project funding is available up to 30th June 2014, where ongoing funding after this will be dedicated to ongoing volunteer support resources being imbedded in CFA business as usual.  The Project Team and the Program Steering Committee will oversee the outcomes of this next phase with a view to making recommendations for ongoing practical support for volunteers being embedded in CFA arrangements and actions.

For the initial phase of the project there be a strong field focus, visiting a variety of Brigades and Regions and other CFA work locations to enable the team to have the best understanding of CFA.  VFBV has been involved in these processes.

REGIONAL INITATIVES

There are many Region / District initiatives such as Ex-Captain's forums, Legends Dinners, Moomba activities, Ash Wednesday Memorial Service, OH&S, LMR peer engagement.  CFA want to encourage the good work of Brigades / Groups, Districts & Regions in what they are doing to ensure they continue and also share the ideas and experiences of such good initiatives.

EXIT SURVEY PILOT & RECRUITMENT PILOT

Peter Sharman, Graham Cocks and Brian West are part of the Working Group for the Exit Survey pilot.

There will be a 3 month trial beginning soon to test the tools required for CFA to conduct exit interviews (using a variety of mediums).  The trail will involve interviewing those that may have left in last 6 months and using some of the tools already developed.  From this, the Working Group will see what worked and what didn't to ensure that CFA understand why people leave the organisation and how best to deal with it.

Once the trial is complete and adjustments made CFA may undertake a quarterly report of those that have left the organisation and send out the exit surveys at these times.  The tools developed can also be provided to the Captain / Secretary of brigades.

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK 2014

There is a proposal to conduct a torchlight procession to coincide with National Volunteer Week and CFA’s 70^th Anniversary in Melbourne in 2014.

As such feedback is required from members to see if they will support this, please indicate to your State Councillors if your brigade would participate before June 22^nd  this year.