News 
RMIT University and the Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC are holding a series of workshops with key stakeholders to analyse alternative strategies for engaging with non-traditional emergency volunteers (e.g. unaffiliated with formal emergency management organisations and plans).
The workshops are a part of the ‘Out of Uniform’ project that examines opportunities for emergency management organisations to contribute to community resilience by supporting non-traditional emergency volunteers - to learn more about the project, click here.
The workshops build on reviews conducted of knowledge and practice in this area, and case studies of non-traditional volunteering in action in Australia.
The workshop series has three aims:
1. To test and refine a proposed framework to assess alternative engagement strategies in relation to desired outcomes
2. To conduct a SWOT analysis to identify and compare the full range of potential Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats associated with four broad engagement strategies (currently labelled as Ignore, Resist, Tolerate, Embrace)
3. To identify what is needed for emergency management organisations to develop and implement volunteer strategies for non-traditional forms of volunteering.
The workshop series is currently in planning, with the first two workshops scheduled for October 2016.
It will have three overall outputs:
1. A tested and documented framework to underpin a strategic decision support tool for emergency management organisations
2. Identification of knowledge gaps for addressing specific organisational needs in volunteering for possible research funding by the BNHCRC
3. A report on key workshop outcomes
For further information or to register your interest in hosting or attending a workshop please contact Blythe McLennan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (03) 9925-5227.
