Editable Checklist: Planning for Spontaneous Emergency Volunteers

Volunteering WA's research shows that spontaneous emergency volunteers are sure to arrive following an emergency - it is invaluable for volunteer involving organisations to have a plan for when they do.

Across the five emergencies examined in the 'Spontaneous volunteer engagement in recent emergencies in WA Report', spontaneous volunteers emerged as invaluable assets. 

Recommendations for proactive planning encompass:

• Clearly designating responsibility for coordinating and managing spontaneous volunteers, potentially through the appointment of a spontaneous volunteer engagement officer or coordinator tasked with assessing volunteers’ interests and availability.
• Defining the relationship between spontaneous volunteers and emergency management organisations and agencies.
• Establishing protocols for indemnity to safeguard against accidents, injuries, and public liability for both volunteers and engaging organisations. 
• Developing organisational sub-plans for spontaneous volunteer engagements, encompassing codes of conduct, policies, procedures, and suitable tasks.
• Strategic  communication channels and key message content to be disseminated to spontaneous volunteers pre-emptively.
• Proactive planning for communication campaign, aligning it with the expectations and preferences of local communities and ensuring guidance regarding interim activities while awaiting deployment as well as information on necessary gear and equipment.
• Raising awareness of associated risks, implementing risk mitigation measures, and emphasising the coordination of tasks by emergency managers.
• Engage local philanthropic entities in the to absorb spontaneous volunteers and ensure their resources such as equipment, donations and perhaps even accommodation in the initial stages could be harnessed.
• Acknowledging that the timing of spontaneous volunteer needs may not align with offers of assistance, necessitating long-term planning.
• Formulating scenarios to guide spontaneous volunteer engagement across various phases of disaster recovery, encompassing immediate clean up and evolving needs and opportunities over time.
• Consider the role of peak bodies such as Volunteering WA that can offer assistance with brokering spontaneous volunteers.

See page 9 of the Report for further detail and download the editable Planning for Spontaneous Emergency Volunteers checklist to assist you in getting started.