EVN webinar five - helping the helpers: community sector volunteering for emergency management and community resilience

In this webinar, three presenters -- from research, the community sector, and state government –discuss challenges, gaps and opportunities for supporting community sector volunteering that contributes to emergency management and community resilience goals. The webinar has been organised in conjunction with the release of a new research report - ‘Emergency volunteering 2030: Views from the community sector.’

While some community sector organisations have formally recognised roles in relevant state and local emergency management and recovery plans (i.e. delivering disaster welfare services), these are just a small portion of the community sector organisations and groups that contribute to emergency management and community resilience goals on a day-to-day basis. Most of these organisations are volunteer-involving, and many are operated solely by volunteers.

Despite the valuable role that community sector volunteers play in supporting communities before, during and after emergency events, it appears there are some serious and widening gaps in governmental recognition and policy that values and resources community sector participation. This webinar will share views and experiences from community sector organisations and highlight what needs to happen to better support community sector volunteering that assists communities to build resilience and recovery from disaster events.

(This webinar includes three ten-minute presentations and a 20-minute live Q&A session.)