Research leader

Dr Amanda Taylor Research Leader

Research team

Dr Jane Cocks Research Team
Prof Sharon Lawn Research Team
Prof David Lawrence Research Team
Wavne Rikkers Research Team
Dr Louise Roberts Research Team
A/Prof Maureen Ashe Research Team
A/Prof Rachel Roberts Research Team
Prof Paul Delfabbro Research Team
Holly Caruso Research Team

End User representatives

Sandra Lunardi End-User
Rebecca Duffy End-User

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. 

Year Type Citation
2024 Report Taylor, A. et al. Positive mental health in young adult life saving volunteers. 31 (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2024).
2021 Report Taylor, A. et al. Positive mental health in young adult emergency service personnel. 107 (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2021).
Datesort ascending Title Download Key Topics
16 Jun 2021 How to promote and protect the mental health of young emergency service volunteers  PDF icon 1.62 MB (1.62 MB) mental health, resilience, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Mindfulness - Square Breathing mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Young Volunteer Perspectives PDF icon 368.86 KB (368.86 KB) mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Self Compassion - Caring for Yourself mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Self Compassion - Self Compassion Check mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Self Compassion - Three Components mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Coping - Confront, Connect, Communicate mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Coping - Engaged and Disengaged Coping mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Checking In - Signs Checklist mental health, non-traditional recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Checking In - Signs to Seek Support mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Young volunteer positive mental health and wellbeing resources mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Checking In - Stress Check Pit Stop mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Care4Guide PDF icon 980.21 KB (980.21 KB) mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Mental Health Resources: Apps and Interactive Health mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Mental Health and Wellbeing: Mental Health Building Blocks mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Mental Health Resources: For Families and Friends mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Mental Health and Wellbeing: What is Mental Health? mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Mental Health Resources: Support Lines and Websites mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Protecting Mental Health: Role and Impact mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 My Support Pathways: Identifying Pathways mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Mindfulness - Body Scan mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Knowledge Synthesis PDF icon 408.58 KB (408.58 KB) mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Mindfulness - Everday Mindfulness mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Key Findings of Online Survey PDF icon 466.99 KB (466.99 KB) mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Skill Spotlight: Mindfulness - More Than Breathing mental health, recruitment, volunteering
07 Jun 2021 Leadership Perspectives PDF icon 366.65 KB (366.65 KB) mental health, recruitment, volunteering
Skill Spotlight 1: Mindfulness poster
07 Jun 2021
Skill Spotlight 1: Mindfulness is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency...
Skill Spotlight 2: Self Compassion poster
07 Jun 2021
Skill Spotlight 2: Self Compassion is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult...
Skill Spotlight 3: Coping poster
07 Jun 2021
Skill Spotlight 3: Coping is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency...
Skill Spotlight 4: Checking In poster
07 Jun 2021
Skill Spotlight 4: Checking In is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency...
My Support Pathways poster
07 Jun 2021
My Support Pathways is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency services...
Mental Health Resources poster
07 Jun 2021
Mental Health Resources is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency...
References and Acknowledgements poster
07 Jun 2021
References and Acknowledgements is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult...
Care4Guide Title Page poster
07 Jun 2021
Care4Guide Title Page is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency services...
Welcome to Care4Guide poster
07 Jun 2021
Welcome to Care4Guide is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency services...
Mental Health and Wellbeing poster
07 Jun 2021
Mental Health and Wellbeing is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency...
Protecting Your Mental Health poster
07 Jun 2021
Protecting Your Mental Health is one of the posters from the Positive mental health in young adult emergency...