There is an identified need to investigate mental health outcomes in young emergency services volunteers and the practices that can minimise the impact of experiencing potentially traumatising events and promote positive mental health amongst this cohort. 

This research was a partnership between the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia, Flinders University, the University of British Columbia, the Hospital Research Foundation, Military and Emergency Services Health Australia and key emergency services, as well as the young adult members of AFAC’s Young Volunteers Advisory Committee, who informed the development of all resources.

This project has created a valid, practical and usable framework and several reliable resources to support positive mental health and wellbeing in young adult (16-25 year old) emergency service volunteers. The framework and the resources can be utilised at an individual, local and organisation-wide level, in order to minimise the short and long term impacts of exposure to potentially traumatising events, and maintain and promote mental health and wellbeing more generally.

The young volunteer positive mental health and wellbeing resources that have been developed by this project include:

• Care4Guide: a self-completed guide to positive mental health and wellbeing as a young fire and emergency service volunteer. This guide is designed to be used by volunteers to maintain and practice positive mental health. It can also be used by leaders and organisations to promote positive mental health and wellbeing within emergency services and other volunteer-based organisations. 
• Care4Guide posters and social media assets. 
• Fact Sheets of key findings from this project, highlighting the research-based evidence behind the Care4Guide and other resources. 
• A Young Volunteer Wellbeing Framework and an Agency Implentation Guide (both included in the project final report) for emergency service organisations to support the mental health and wellbeing of young adult volunteers.

You can access the Care4Guide, posters, social media assets and Fact Sheets by clicking on the button below.