News 
Issue 11: December 2014
Quick snapshot of the priority issues and actions worked through at the most recent Joint Committee meeting between CFA and VFBV. (Meeting held 09/11/14)
VOLUNTEER STRATEGY
The CFA Volunteer Strategy Draft has been endorsed by the CFA Board and has now been released to the Regions/Districts for widespread comment and feedback before the Strategy is completed in February 2015.
The Volunteer Strategy has three key strategic objectives of Encourage, Maintain and Strengthen Volunteerism. Feedback is being sought from all members of CFA, with CFA holding several Regional workshops and any member can give feedback through Brigades Online. A strategy kit, including a feedback form has also been posted to each brigade secretary. We encourage all members to give consideration to the strategy and provide feedback.
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT PROGRAM
The Volunteer Support Program continues with its three streams of Brigade Sustainability, Wellbeing and the District Volunteerism Co-Ordinators.
In response to concerns being raised by brigades, the committee has requested that advice be provided to the field regarding how priorities are being set and for CFA to provide improved transparency to District Councils, DPC’s and Brigades of the prioritized initiatives of the District Coordinators. Work plans are currently done in consultation with the Operations Manager and the District Coordinator, and the committee has requested CFA improve the opportunities for brigades, groups, District Council and DPC’s to be more closely involved in these discussions.
VFBV continues to encourage brigade leaders to provide comment and input to the district work plans to ensure that brigades benefit and are seeing an effect of the Volunteer Support Program work and that the work they are doing is tangible, practical and what is needed & requested by brigades.
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT PROJECT
The Volunteer Recruitment Project plan was presented to the committee. The projects objective is to enhance the current systems, processes and practices used to attract and recruit volunteers. The committees view is the plan needs to add more strategy in regard to attracting new members, not just the processes involved once a person has shown an interest in joining the CFA. Other feedback was also around ensuring the project was flexible enough to support brigades with their own recruitment activities, and to avoid a one size fits all approach being forced on brigades. A reference group is in the process of being formed, and CFA has agreed to consider the committees views, and do some more work on the plan before it is initiated. As help with recruitment is one of the most requested areas of support asked for by brigades, the committee is encouraged that CFA has identified this as a priority need, and looks forward to working with CFA on this project.
VOLUNTEER EXIT SURVEY RESULTS
The Volunteer Exit Survey is now implemented and CFA has presented draft results to the committee. The survey gives vital feedback to CFA on several items that they need to improve and the reasons why volunteers decide to leave CFA.
Initial results still show over 61% of leaving members are not completing the survey, and the committee has requested CFA investigate how to make it more accessible.
The survey will be ongoing with the results analysed regularly by the committee. This will ensure that future retention strategies are now informed by actual experience and data.
