New South Wales State Emergency Service (NSW SES) is moving to a more flexible volunteering model. The old model of a volunteer who trains weekly and does an exercise or extended training once a month is no longer as effective as it was. There is a move away from the traditional emergency service volunteer to a model with other categories including spontaneous, corporate, specialised teams, etc. There are already challenges for volunteer agencies communicating with their volunteers, and with emergency service agencies across Australia re-evaluating how they communicate with their members – or even what a member is anymore - how do emergency agencies such as NSW SES ensure they can communicate and engage with these different volunteering types so they are able to continue to safely and effectively assist their communities?

Dr Geoffrey Woolcock

• Dr Barbara Ryan

• Institute for Resilient Regions
• School of Humanities & Communication

• Communication and Media Studies
• Other Studies in Human Society

• Doctor of Philosophy (DPHD)
• Doctor of Philosophy (DPHD)