From Facebook to the Fireline

Recruiting, Retaining and Communicating with Young People in the

ACT Rural Fire Service

Anicca Maleedy-Main Anicca_Main@hotmail.com

for the ACT Rural Fire Service acknowledging the financial contribution of the

Australian Federal Government through the National Disaster Mitigation Program.

2009-2010

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................... 1 RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 3

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Why the need for this study?.......................................................... Why the focus on technology and social media? ................................

METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. Literature review .......................................................................... Surveys ...................................................................................... Conversations with Captains .......................................................... Limitations of this study ................................................................

RESULTS........................................................................................ 9 1. Surveys and Interviews ............................................................. 9

1.1 Surveys .............................................................................. 1.2 Interviews with Captains .......................................................

2. Profile ....................................................................................10 3. Communication .......................................................................

3.1 Online ............................................................................... 3.2 Offline ............................................................................... 3.3 Style .................................................................................

4. Volunteering ........................................................................... 4.1 Recruitment ....................................................................... 4.2 Retention ...........................................................................

SUGGESTED INITIATIVES................................................................ CURRENT INITIATIVES.................................................................... REFERENCES ................................................................................. APPENDICES .................................................................................

Appendix 1: Young People and Volunteering Survey ......................... Appendix 2: 16-24 Year Old RFS Volunteers Survey ......................... Appendix 3: Questions for Brigade Captains ....................................

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The From Facebook to the Fireline project was undertaken between September and November 2009 in the Australian Capital Territory. The study investigates problems with recruiting and retaining young people as volunteer fire fighters within the ACT and looks at ways of improving these processes for the Rural Fire Service (ACT RFS). In addition, it looks at the most effective ways of attracting and communicating fire safety messages to young people. The aim of this project was to encourage ongoing consideration of young people in the future directions of the ACT RFS. This paper is intended as a resource for those within the ACT RFS and the broader Emergency Services Agency (ESA) interested in working and communicating with young Canberrans. The project was conducted using various data collection methods including a literature review, the distribution of online surveys and short telephone interviews. Respondents included young people from within the RFS and from the general population, as well as Captains of several ACT RFS brigades. This report is structured into three main sections. The first is a profile of young people, with a focus on the characteristics of today’s 16-24 year olds (born between 1985 and 1993) to gain better insight into the characteristics of this group. The second section is a brief overview of the styles and methods of communication used by many young people today, including the use of various online communication technologies. The intended outcome of this section is to inspire the ACT RFS to engage with a wide variety of communication methods on relevant issues. The third section contains a summary of young people’s participation in volunteering, which includes several suggestions for increasing that participation and improving the retention of volunteers. Results found that while young people are active and interested volunteers, there are barriers to their participation in volunteer work. The two most important of these are lack of time and lack of information and awareness about volunteering opportunities. It is important that if the RFS are going to increase the number of volunteers that they look at the specific needs of various minority groups, in this case young people.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Improve the website of the ACT Rural Fire Service to make it more

accessible, appealing and informative. Make better use of such tools as Facebook, Twitter and U-Tube.

Suggestions would include a small fire danger meter that would

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appear on the wall of “Group Members” showing the current fire danger rating and a fire safety tip/task for that day.

Develop strong relationships with the schools and colleges in the

area. Provide information that the student advisors can give to students about the career and the skill development aspects of volunteering for the Rural Fire Service. Attend school events such as assemblies and career days with younger members.

Set up Youth Representatives within brigades and provide them

opportunities to liaise with groups such as the Community Awareness sub-committee, Training and Volunteer Support group.

Implement cadet programs within the ACT, or possibly one single

ACT cadet brigade. Locate the brigades in areas accessible by public transport. Investigate the possibility of running/linking cadet brigades with schools.

As part of any future Cadet program and/or the Youth

Representative position assess ways of providing more practical training and time on fire grounds.

Develop training modules that can be completed online. Consider

the use of interactive forms of online training that involve role-playing.

Formally recognise training and other achievements through the

use of certificates, awards or badges.

Increase the community presence of the ACT Rural Fire Service. This may include linking up with youth centred events such as concerts, mountain biking championships, youth triathlons Scout meetings etc.

Investigate the requirements and the possibility of establishing a

group, perhaps linked to a cadet brigade, that could act like a “Display Brigade” whose purpose is to attend events and travel around schools demonstrating the fun and exciting side of volunteering for the Rural Fire Service. If possible use young people, who have strong skills in relating to the public and to other young people.

Draw on the familial networks of current brigade members and get

them to encourage their sons, daughters, nieces and nephews to join their brigades. Run more social events and family days to encourage this.

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INTRODUCTION

This study was commissioned by The ACT Rural Fire Service (ACT RFS) and was funded by Emergency Management Australia’s Natural Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP). The project is intended to provide insight into the best ways for the service to engage with young people. It was triggered by a lack of understanding about how to communicate bushfire safety messages to young Canberrans and low numbers of young volunteers in ACT RFS Brigades. The project was structured to target three main points; firstly it develops a profile of 16-24 year olds (born between 1985 and 1993), outlining some of the key characteristics of this age group. Secondly, it looked at the style and method of young people’s communication, encompassing their use of social networking technologies as well as the style and content of the messages that most effectively get their attention. This aspect was of particular interest to the ACT RFS so that they could more effectively communicate fire safety messages to young people, in an appealing and meaningful way, as well as to launch effective recruitment campaigns. A detailed literature review of Government reports, marketing information and journal articles was used. Thirdly, the project looked at recruiting and retaining young people as volunteers. In addition to a review of exsistant literature, data was collected via several online surveys investigating young people’s perceptions and experiences of volunteer work. A generation is typically identified by age. When trying to determine an age definition of “Generation Y”, many different results were found. Some examples of these were people born between 1978-1994, 1977-1994, 1980-1994, 1980-2000, 1982-2000. As demonstrated above, there is no real consensus for what age range constitutes “Generation Y”, so for the purposes of this study “Generation Y” will be those young people between the ages of 16-24 years. The reason for choosing this age bracket is that these young people are at an age where they are starting to live and act independently, and are of the emotional and physical maturity to be active and valuable members of a community during an emergency. Many of the findings from this study will also apply to people outside this age range. In addition, the ACT RFS has chosen not to use the term “Generation Y”, as it is often applied in a demeaning or derogatory way. Therefore, in order to avoid influencing readers, this project is choosing to use the term “young people” instead.

“There are many benefits in young people participating in community life. For young people, creating a sense of belonging and strong connections to family and community improves young people’s wellbeing, educational outcomes and mental health. Benefits for the community include a diverse range of outcomes such as lower burden of disease, greater productivity, stronger families and safer, more connected communities” (DHCS 2009:36).

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Why the need for this study?

Because of the ever-increasing pace of technological development the differences between generations seem to be getting greater. The difference in lifestyle between one generation and the next is leading to an increase in misunderstanding and a decrease in communication between age groups. Type “Generation Y” into any Internet search engine and the tone of the articles that appear will prove the level of frustration, confusion and anger towards today’s young people. Mark McCrindle and Mark Beard (n.d.) identify generational difference as having taken over from gender and cultural difference as the most important “Equity and Diversity” issue of current times. Several sources have noted the trend toward low numbers of volunteer fire fighters Australia wide (McLennon, 2004; Parkin 2008). Australia’s population is ageing rapidly (ABS 2001), a statistic that is reflected in the volunteer force of the ACT RFS. For these reasons it is important to focus on recruiting and retaining young people to keep Brigades growing as older members retire from the organisation. 2001 ABS data indicates that 21.9% of the population in the ACT are aged 12-25 years. This is a significant portion of the local population and it is therefore important that we consider them when thinking about the distribution of fire safety messages. In addition, these relatively large numbers mean that we have a large pool of young people from which to draw volunteers. People between the ages of 16 and 24 are starting to take up more active roles in their communities, they are moving into houses of their own, helping to run farms, and accumulating their own assets that need protection. They are physically and emotionally capable of helping out in times of crisis, and need to be well informed in order to be able to perform these new roles safely and efficiently.

"Including young people in decision-making…is a vital ingredient in the creation of strong and caring communities" (Office for Youth 2004)

Strategically, recruiting more young people to ACT Brigades will help the Service to meet the Government’s goal to, “Encourage young people to participate in and contribute to their communities” as set out in the DRAFT Young People’s Plan 2009-2014 (DHCS 2009:74). More specifically, the

recruitment and retention of young people to the volunteer fire services ensures that essential knowledge of fire behaviour, safety and suppression techniques can be passed on and retained as older members withdraw from Brigades. In addition, the work that the RFS does relies heavily on physical strength, stamina, energy and enthusiasm, something that can be provided by young volunteers who currently only make up 10% of the ACT RFS volunteer population.

“Regardless of the organisation’s core business, a youth development approach can improve organisational practices and achieve better outcomes for the young people who participate” (Ausyouth 2003)

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Sixteen to 24 year old Canberrans would, if they were living locally at the time, have experienced the 2003 bushfires. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that many of them will have a fairly high level of fire consciousness – at the very least they are aware of the serious damage bushfires can do. At least one current young volunteer cited this as their reason for joining the Service. This awareness is something that could be drawn on in recruitment campaigns. Why the focus on technology and social media?

It should not be assumed that all young people are technologically savvy, nor should it be assumed that it is only young people who are so. What is obvious is that various technologies, particularly social networking services, are becoming increasingly important in the lives of many, and that ignoring them, or failing to utilise their communication potential, would be imprudent (McCrindle 2009). According to the Click and Connect report (ACMA 2009) up to 97% of people up to 17 years of age use at least one social networking service. In addition, our survey responses show that the first place young people will go for information is the internet and that many of them would like to complete some of their training online. The message here is that in order to engage with young people, it is essential to have a strong online presence.

“Young people identified the need for better access to technology and online engagement services. Young people felt that most government and non-government organisations were not able to keep “Up to pace” with emerging and changing developments regarding technology” (DHCS 2009:24).

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METHODOLOGY

This project was undertaken over two months and consisted of a literature review, several online surveys and telephone conversations with Captains from several ACT RFS Brigades. The survey questions are included as appendices 1 and 2. Literature review

An improved definition and greater understanding of young people’s general characteristics was an essential start for this project. A review was conducted of literature related to young people’s lifestyles, communication and volunteer experiences. The majority of sources can be viewed in the bibliography, but several papers warrant special mention, as they have been particularly useful for this project and may provide useful references in the longer term. These include: 1. National Youth Affairs Research Scheme 2004, Passions, People and Appreciation: making volunteering work for young people, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.

This was an Australia wide study into young people and volunteering. Literature was reviewed from many countries and compared with the qualitative data collected within Australia. The authors conducted comprehensive research through focus groups and interviews with young people and their parents regarding their views on and experiences of volunteering. One point of particular interest were the differences they found between a) young Australian’s views and experiences as compared with those found in overseas studies and b) the differences between young people’s views and experiences and those of older Australians.

2. McLennan, J, Acker, F, Beatson, R, Birch, A & Jamieson, R 2004, Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Issues: a review of the literature, Report no. 4, Bushfire CRC in assoc. with La Trobe University, Bundoora and McLennan, J 2004, Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers: rural fire services’ issues and initiatives, Report no. 1, Bushfire CRC in assoc. with La Trobe University, Bundoora.

These papers look specifically at volunteering in a Rural Fire Service context. The majority of the findings in this report, particularly those relating to young people, come from a comprehensive review of the literature and was most relevant study that has been undertaken.

3. McQueen, M 2008, The ‘New’ Rules of Engagement: a guide to understanding and connecting with Generation Y, Hyde Park Press, Sydney.

Michael McQueen is a consultant who works with schools and businesses struggling to engage with “Generation Y”. This book provides a positive view of young people and attempts to explain

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the reasons behind some of the typical “Gen Y” traits. It also provides wonderful summaries of each generation, from the “Builders” through to “Generation Z” making it a good starting point for both young and older people looking to communicate despite generational differences. It is not aimed at those wanting to market anything to young people, which made it ultimately more useful than several other similar texts.

Surveys

None of the literature reviewed for the study referred specifically to young people within the ACT. For this reason, we felt it necessary to contact local young people in order to get a more accurate picture of their views and experiences. To this end, two surveys were developed with the following goals in mind:

To ascertain the most effective methods of communicating emergency messages and volunteer information to young people

To determine what encourages young people to become volunteers, and what might discourage them.

For those already in the RFS, to understand the elements of the service they enjoyed, and those which they would like to see changed, with the aim of improving retention of young volunteers.

During the initial research, it became clear that the most efficient way to contact young people was online, and so two short surveys were developed. One was aimed at 16-24 year old volunteers within the ACT RFS, and one was aimed at the broader population of 16-24 year olds. The first survey was distributed via e-mail to young members and resulted in 25 responses. This is estimated to be about a quarter of all RFS volunteers between the ages of 16 and 24. All efforts were made to distribute the second survey to as wide a variety of young people as possible. In the end, three main avenues were used for distribution:

Narrabundah College The Australian National University The ACT Government’s Office for Children, Youth and Family

Support via www.youth.gov.au In each case a covering email asked respondents to forward the survey to friends and family in the relevant age group. This resulted in 98 responses to the survey, 74% of which were female and 26% male. Conversations with Captains

In addition to collecting the views of young people, we felt it was important to get a picture of how young people were perceived by others in the brigade. To do this, we conducted short telephone surveys with several brigade captains. The questions asked are included as Appendix 3. Generally, the view of young people within the brigades was favourable, and Captains were keen to encourage more young people into their brigades, but were unsure how to go about it.

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Limitations of this study

This study did not explore the Culturally and Linguistically diverse backgrounds of the young people surveyed. We recognise that cultural and social background is an important factor in volunteer experience and feel that it warrants further study. In addition, this study did not explore the gender differences in young people’s communication and use of IT. Gender relations within the RFS is another important area of investigation and may need to be explored as a separate study. 72% of our respondents were male, and 28% were female. Although we sent out participation requests to a wide cross section of the community, the short timeframe meant that we had to use those organisations that responded by the cut off date. Hence, two of the three organisations were education institutions, which may have biased the results somewhat, as 86% of the responses were from full time students.

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RESULTS

1. Surveys & Interviews

1.1 Surveys

16-24 Year Old RFS Volunteers Fourteen of the respondents were studying, four of whom were doing science based courses. The rest were studying a variety of subjects ranging from media production to management. When asked about the most important aspects of their experience in the ACT RFS, the top three responses were:

Learning new skills Training Doing something for the community

When asked about the improvements they felt could be made to training, the three most popular responses were:

More training on actual firegrounds (80%) Theory modules online (56%) More structure to training sessions (36%)

16-24 year olds not in the RFS In their spare time, the young people surveyed spent the most time doing the following four activities:

Hang out with friends/family (83%) Listen to music (66 %) Read (62%) Go Online (54%)

These statistics give us a profile of a generation which is highly social, educated, community minded and comfortable with technology. 1.2 Interviews with Captains In addition to the profile developed through the literature review, several interviews were conducted with Brigade Captains to get a picture of how young people were seen within the ACT RFS. For the most part, young people were seen as valuable members of the Brigade, who should be encouraged to join and stay on as volunteers. That said, there were a few reservations about young people specifically, most of which are outlined below.

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Some of the positive elements of having young people in a Brigade were: Their enthusiasm. Their energy – young people were keen to take on some of the jobs

that older members were not so motivated to do any longer. Increased numbers – with current low rates of recruitment and

retention, young people were seen as a good source of volunteers, particularly when older members retire or start to reduce their involvement.

Fitness and physical strength. Different ways of looking at things, fresh ideas. More time to gain experience means they are far more

knowledgeable when they get older. It is important to pass skills and knowledge down through the

generations to keep that knowledge “alive”. Flexibility – it was mentioned that young people are often able to

come to fires and events with very little notice. Their lives are sometimes less structured and can be rearranged with a moment’s notice.

“The young people who do stay on are some of the better members”

Some of the less positive issues with having young people in Brigades:

Hard to retain because of life changes (getting jobs, going to university, starting relationships, going travelling) and lack of time.

“Attitude” (although the ones with attitude did not usually stay for very long) it was felt that sometimes young people did not respect the large amounts of knowledge and experience held by older members and that they could be a bit “gung-ho”, which could result in dangerous actions.

Transport – for those without licences and cars, getting to the sheds could be a problem, especially at short notice.

Immaturity – this means older members have to spend time and effort trying to protect them from seeing or experiencing unpleasant things, particularly on fire grounds.

2. Profile

As Mark McCrindle (n.d) documented, today’s 16-24 year olds have grown up in an era of economic growth and stability. For most of their lives, un-employment has not been a significant issue, allowing them to be generally optimistic about their own employment opportunities. This does not take into account current economic instability because, as it is a relatively recent phenomenon, it would not have influenced their development up to this point. This combined with what Michael McQueen (2008) calls the “Decade of the Child”, which promoted a child friendly and child centred society, has led to a generation of confident, self assured young people. This is a generation who are willing to leave jobs that they don’t enjoy because they are confident of finding something else (McCrindle 2006; Hoffman 2005).

“They are well educated, ambitious, tolerant, tech-savvy, and…socially aware” (McQueen 2008:43).

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In addition, this generation have developed the flexibility to move from one thing to another, because they have grown up being told to “follow your dreams” and “never settle for second best” rather than to stick it out when they are dissatisfied. The tendency to change course means that this generation are often highly adaptable and have a wide skill base, but are easily put off if they find something boring or unpleasant (Hoffman 2005; McQueen 2008;McCrindle n.d). This was noted by one Captain who felt that the low numbers of young people in his Brigade could be a result of the excitement and novelty “wearing off”, and the younger people then unwilling to stick with it. This was reflected in our survey results, which showed that young RFS volunteers were unhappy with the small amount of time spent on fire-grounds or doing hands on training. Another characteristic of today’s young people is that they are highly technological (The Neilson Company 2009; Think Fresh n.d). Many of them won’t even remember a time before the internet. They have grown up with mobile phones, iPods and social networking sites forming a large part of their everyday lives. The world they have been brought up in is fast paced, highly technological and presented in bite-sized pieces (McCrindle 2006). While technology plays an important part in the lives of young people, it is often only a means to an end. Much of the reviewed research has noted that peers are the most important and influential element in the lives of young people and that the thing they seek and value most is community (DCHS 2009; Think Fresh n.d.; McCrindle n.d.) Technology is generally used to connect with peers and participate in communities. This desire for socialisation, peer approval, and a sense of community is a characteristic that we can draw on in the recruitment of young people to the RFS, whose structure is based on a sense of belonging, support and community. A related theme that appeared often in the literature was that today’s young people are very socially and environmentally aware (McQueen 2007). Through their use of communication technology, they have become global citizens. They are aware of what is going on in the world in a way that no generation has been previously. With the rise of citizen journalism (news footage caught live on camera phones and uploaded immediately, amateur photographs in newspapers and posted on websites, news and political blogs written by anyone who can access the internet) today’s young people are able to learn about, and express their views on world issues almost as they happen. One last characteristic worth mentioning is an increasing desire by young people for honesty and authenticity. These two words have appeared in much of the reviewed literature with regards to the most effective ways to communicate with young people. They have grown up in a world of botox, airbrushed models, and mass commercialisation and are numb to the majority of “hype” thrown their way, (McCrindle & Beard n.d). According to McQueen (2007) NYARS (2004) and Gloz (2003), what young people now want is something real, something authentic and experiential, something exciting and meaningful. There is growing recognition that young people are starting to feel somewhat bereft of any genuine connection and meaning and are searching for ways to find spiritual, social

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and personal empowerment. While they use the internet often, it is not their only source of enjoyment. They want to get out and live life to the full.

3. Communication

3.1 Online First and foremost, young people use the Internet. This generation have nicknames such as “Digital Natives” and “Generation.com”, signalling their comfort with information technology. As mentioned earlier, these young people have grown up with communication technology as an essential part of their everyday lives. They think it and live it. The first place they will instinctively turn for information, education and social connection, is the Internet (Quinn & Bethell 2006; Simpson & Dinwoodie 2009; McCrindle; ACMA 2009). So how do they use the Internet, and what for?

3.1.1 Browsing This is an information seeking behaviour and involves skipping from one website to another. Often looking for information related to hobbies, education, work or career. Usually done with the aid of a search engine such as Google. The key features to be aware of are:

The importance of being easily found by a search engine; and the importance of having attention grabbing elements on a website.

3.1.2 Social Networking

Social networking sites are websites on which users develop “profiles” and interact with others. Profiles can include pictures, descriptions, and be personalised though a choice of colours, fonts and graphics. Interaction can take many forms, but usually involves posting comments and journal style entries on your own, or other people’s pages. These sites are used for socialisation, and to develop and participate in various communities, a phenomenon that differentiates this age group from those before them.

“Teens look to their social networks for much more than gossip and photo-sharing: to teens, social networks are a key source of information and advice” (The Nielson Group 2009)

While social networking sites are a relatively recent occurrence, many businesses and non profit organisations have realised their potential as promotional tools. Two elements of social networking sites are particularly appealing. Firstly, the element of interaction. organisations can engage in dialogue with their audiences and the flow of information then goes both ways. This is particularly important when engaging with young people who respond more to interactions and experiences than to being the passive receptors of information (McQueen 2007). Secondly, as their name suggests, social networking sites allow organisations to draw on the existing networks of their audiences. Given the strength and importance of peers in the lives of young people, these networks can be very powerful tools for marketing and campaigning.

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Some examples of social networking websites include: MySpace; Bebo; Facebook - The ACT Emergency Services Agency already has a

Facebook page, a description of which can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/ACT-Emergency-Services-Agency/171782576966?ref=nf CFA Victoria also have an active Facebook group which posts fire updates and fire safety tips onto the pages of group members on a regular basis;

Twitter - NSW RFS are already very active on Twitter (http://twitter.com/rfsmedia), and upload comments several times per day;

MSN; and Yahoo Instant Messaging.

For more specific details of Facebook, Twitter, MSN Messenger, and Skype, and their potential use for emergency services, please refer to the report done by ACT ESA’s Media and Community Education Unit, available from Kaylee McInnes (Kaylee.McInnes@act.gov.au).

3.1.3 Blogs

Short for “Weblog”, Blogs are online diaries or journals, and can be used to document anything from the personal to the political on topics as varied as business, artistic ventures, family holidays or volunteer experiences. A Blog is a great way to show the various activities ACT RFS members are involved in, as well as conveying elements of our culture and ethos. Some brigades, such as the Rivers Volunteer RFS Brigade, already have Blogs launched.

3.1.4 Email

Used for more specific kinds of communication. Email is often the first channel young people will choose when communicating with people they don’t know. If faced with having to make a phone call, they may just choose not to make contact. For this reason, having an email contact is advisable.

3.1.5 Games

Can be used for entertainment, socialisation and education. Some examples include: Habbo; World of Warcraft; and Second Life. Second Life is of specific interest in the context of this report as it is a virtual space in which players create “Avatars” or characters for themselves and interact in an online world that each person helps to create. Each player can create a life for themselves and has become such a phenomenon that many people earn enough money through their online businesses that they do not need to work in the real world at all.

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Second Life has the potential to be a very useful training resource, as it allows for participants to role-play and imagine themselves in various scenarios. This form of interactive training is already being used by some emergency services in the United States. See for example the South Valley Media Group’s description of their project: ”In Collaboration with Ikura Systems Corp, who are real life professionally-trained firefighters, police, paramedics, and military servicemen, our 16 connected sims [characters] are utilized daily for training and practice in rural structure fires, wildfires, crashes, rescues, forensics, and occupational hazards training.” (http://solutionproviders.secondlife.com/provider/show/id/642 viewed 4 October 2009)

Many of our survey respondents noted that they would like to receive some of their training online, so perhaps this is something that could be looked into further.

3.1.6 Downloading/Watching/Listening

This is used primarily for entertainment and information seeking and includes downloading music, television shows and amateur TV footage. Many young people will have “experienced” bushfires through videos posted on sites such as UTube. Many of these videos also get circulated widely via email, making UTube a powerful public relations tool. That said, it needs to be used carefully as it could also create inexperienced “experts” or misconceptions about bushfire. The Yarra Ranges Shire Council recently used UTube to successfully launch and distribute a fire safety video designed and directed by young people, see: http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Page/page.asp?Page_Id=3139&h=1.

3.2 Offline Not all communication with young people needs to be electronic. Studies have shown that while young people are particularly at home with technology and do use it a great deal of the time, they still engage with non-technological forms of communication (The Neilson Company 2009; Quinn & Bethell 2006). Some examples of these are:

3.2.1 Schools, Universities and Colleges These institutions have sources for distributing information. Utilise people such as career and academic advisors, teachers and lecturers.

3.2.2 SMS or “Text Message”

Many young people prefer text messaging to direct phone calls (The Nielson Company 2009). It is quick, easy, cheap, and can be done anywhere. As mentioned by the Neilson Company (2009), the majority of young people own or use mobile phones.

3.2.3 Phone Call

Preferably mobile phone. While text messaging is popular, it is not the only way to contact young people via the phone.

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3.2.4 Radio While many young people download music and own MP3 players, they do still listen to the radio, making it a good medium for the distribution of information (The Neilson Company, 2009). In the ACT, radio stations such as Triple J (101.5) and 104.7 are the most youth oriented.

3.2.5 Newspaper

Studies show that around two thirds of young people do still read traditional newspapers, as opposed to always accessing them online. They often read papers delivered to their family home, but many still buy and read their own hard copies (Quinn & Bethell 2006).

3.2.6 Interpersonal

Friends and family still have a great impact on young people, and regardless of the modern stereotype, young people do still interact with them face to face.

3.2.7 Postcards and posters

Placed in places where young people gather, these will also have an impact (Simpson & Dinwoodie 2009).

3.2.8 Postal Mail

Perhaps, given that the majority of young people’s communication happens online, using a more traditional, personal form of communication might have a novel and powerful impact. For example individual, named letters sent to home addresses.

3.3 Style How and what young people say and listen to is just as important as where they say it. According to the literature, some of the most important elements of young people’s communication are:

3.3.1 Speed Today’s young people have grown up in a fast paced world and are used to being able to find what they need very quickly. As Michael McQueen (2008) notes, these are people who have grown up with instant messaging, two minute noodles and movies on demand. This means that if they can’t find what they are looking for fast (information on volunteering for example) they are likely to just give up. We need to get the information to them, rather than making them search for it.

“We are dealing with consumers today who need to be engaged more on the emotive scale than the cognitive scale” (McCrindle & Beard n.d)

3.3.2 Short and Sharp

In a related point, information and advertising needs to be presented in a “bite-sized” fashion. Influences such as MTV, which has a rule that no shot or sound bite should last longer than 7 seconds (McQueen 2008) have resulted in a decrease in attention spans. Regardless of one’s opinion of this phenomenon, it must be taken into account if we want to get our messages across effectively.

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3.3.3 Multi format

Use text, audio and visual formats simultaneously. There is no need to stick with just text and/or photographs, when video, sound, cartoon, etc, can all be utilised. This generation are highly visual. Much online content is graphic, rather than text based and this is what they are used to. It might also pay to remember the power of music on this generation. Where possible, combining ads or events with powerful music could increase the affect of a campaign. Sixty six percent of survey respondents said they spend their spare time listening to music which is consistent with the literature.

3.3.4 Well designed

This generation have grown up in a world of graphic design. They are used to using ‘slick’ looking graphics. This does not mean using lots of colour and flashy lights, often less is more. It does mean making websites look clean and clear, using colours that compliment each other and make the page easy to read, having very high quality pictures with minimal text, and ensuring that page layouts follow the guidelines for good web design.

“If you can’t afford a designer then get a young design student to help, your poster could well be their first portfolio job” (Simpson & Dinwoodie n.d).

3.3.5 The elusive “cool” factor

Some hints from professionals in the area include: Don’t try and use slang or sound “young” (Simpson & Dinwoodie

n.d.; Mclennan & Beard n.d) Talk to young people as though they are your equals.

3.3.6 Authentic

The information given has to be real, honest and not sugar coated. This generation have learned to tune out the vast majority of messages that they are being bombarded with, particularly any that seem tacky or cheap.

3.3.7 Dialogic Communication with young people needs to take the form of a conversation. Talk with them, not at them, and they are far more likely to listen. If they are aware that you respect them and their opinions then in return they will engage with what you have to say (McQueen 2008).

3.3.8 Utilise networks Young people listen to other young people. Use them to get messages out. An example of this is “Viral Marketing” – using people’s own online networks to distribute information and ideas (Simpson & Dinwoodie n.d.).This can be done through sites like Facebook and MySpace, but it must be interesting enough for people to want to pass on!

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4. Volunteering

4.1 Recruitment Young people do volunteer. Despite the stereotype of “Generation Y” being self centred and lazy, all evidence suggests that today’s young people are willing, active participants in volunteer activities of all kinds. According to 2001 ABS statistics nearly ten thousand Canberrans under the age of 24 participate in volunteer work. According to our surveys, 32% of respondents were currently engaged in volunteer work of some sort and a further 44% said that while they did not currently volunteer, they had in the past. This is a generation who are open to the idea of volunteering, it is in their consciousness and part of their lifestyle. Several recent studies have looked in to the reasons why young people do and do not participate in volunteer work. According to the NYARS report People, Passions and Appreciation, the reasons young people engage in volunteer work include:

To enhance self esteem; To interact with other people; To increase skills and knowledge, particularly with relation to career

development; School encouragement or compulsory community service; They were inspired by role models; To help the community; To act on values they hold; and To be with friends and family.

It is often cited that young people are most strongly motivated by career development and social reasons, but our survey did not correspond with this finding. More than half of our respondents cited altruistic motivations for their various volunteer commitments, such as:

“I am interested in social justice. I want to make a positive difference in the world, and also to empower others.”

“…[to] contribute to the community”.

“The satisfaction of doing something for others”.

“I wanted to help the club and help it function better”

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That said, of those respondents who were not already volunteers, many of them felt that the skill or career development aspects of volunteering would most likely inspire them to donate their time to a cause. Also, “Learning new skills” was rated by our current RFS survey respondents as the most important element of their experience with the service. The social aspects of volunteering also came up as being highly influential in many young people’s decisions to volunteer. The following is a diagrammatic representation of question 5 in the survey of RFS members. It is equally important to be aware of the reasons young people don’t volunteer. Again and again, the issue of a perceived lack of time comes up

as the number one barrier to youth volunteering (NYARS 2004; Mclennan et al 2004). This was reflected in our surveys, with more than half of our respondents saying that they had never, or no longer volunteered due to competing demands on their time.

Another common issue was that they simply “didn’t know about it” or that no one had asked them (NYARS 2004). As mentioned earlier, if young people are not presented with easily accessible information, it is unlikely they will pursue a volunteer opportunity. Many young people are simply unsure of where to go for more information (McLennan et al 2004).

"We have pressure of life making it more difficult for young people to become volunteers, but there is no question, in tough times, that employers are becoming more reticent to allow volunteer fire-fighters to leave the job." (

accessed 8/10/2009) http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/2

00809/s2359286.htm

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The lack of confidence in their skills and abilities, particularly in a culture dominated by older members, can form a barrier to volunteering for young people (NYARS 2004). As mentioned in McLennan et al (2004) if young people were unsure of what they would be required to do as a volunteer, they were often hesitant to join up. Many respondents to our survey of non-RFS members had never volunteered before simply because they didn’t know the opportunities existed, or had “never really thought about it”. When asked where they would go to access information, the two most common answers were “the internet” and “school advisors”. These two locations should be the first places the ACT RFS distribute information on volunteering.

4.1.1 Website To increase the recruitment of young people it is important to have a user friendly, well resourced, up-to-date website. If only one thing comes out of this project, it should be this.

The ACT RFS website should have:

Lots of easily accessible, simply written information on volunteering.

Contact details (e-mail

addresses, or a contact form) somewhere obvious. Make explicit the process for becoming a volunteer. Many people are lazy, and even the idea of making a phone call will put them off.

“the sites that our teen users rated the highest for subjective satisfaction were sites with a relatively modest, clean design…Teenagers like to do stuff on the Web, and dislike sites that are slow or that look fancy but behave clumsily”. (

viewed 15 October 2009) http://www.useit.com/alertbox/teenage

rs.html

Lots of pictures and descriptions of what it will be like as a

volunteer. Perhaps some videos from the fire ground, life at the sheds or training sessions can be uploaded so people know what they could be experiencing.

Clear categorisation and information on the options for volunteers

who don’t want to be on a fire ground for example PR, IT, fundraising etc.

Lots of really clear fire safety

information. Don’t use too much text. Short and sharp, with lots of visual stimuli as well.

“Sites that were easy to scan or that illustrated concepts visually were strongly preferred to sites with dense text”. http://www.useit.com/alertbox/teenagers.html

Regular updates with the date of the

last update visible on the site. Out of date websites are very off-putting (Simpson & Dinwoodie n.d.)

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The site needs to be well designed with clean lines, appealing colours, plenty of white space. If there is too much text on one page, make another page!

Recommendation Update and improve the ACT RFS and ESA website. Utilise the services of someone who can provide advice on design, as well as making it easily locatable by online search engines

4.1.2 Schools/Colleges/Universities Many of the young RFS volunteers surveyed suggested that we engage with kids at schools and colleges. This could mean visiting schools, getting information to school advisors or starting cadet brigades within schools. Many of the young people we surveyed outside of the RFS said that the first place they would go for information on volunteering was their school advisor.

Recommendation Develop strong relationships with the schools and colleges in the area. Provide information that the student advisors can give to students about the career and skill development aspects of volunteering for the RFS. Attend school events such as assemblies and career days.

4.1.3 Community Presence It is important in the recruitment of young people, that they are aware of the existence of the RFS and have some knowledge of what the organisation does. To this end, the RFS needs to build its public profile through an increased community presence, particularly at events attended by young people such as Summernats, music festivals, mountain biking or other outdoor activities. In response to the question, “Could you suggest some ways to recruit 16-24 year olds?”

“Greater public awareness of the organisation in

general. Larger promotional effort. Utilise the RFS for more tasks…We need to be seen in the community”

“Attend events that young people frequent such as

careers days. Have displays, both static and dynamic at events like Summernats for example. Be more visible within the targeted community.”

“…target your recruitment advertising at youth

events, or put on some events…”

All the Captains interviewed mentioned the importance of an increased community presence to enhance both recruitment and retention of all volunteers, but particularly younger ones. The benefits they mentioned included:

More opportunity for skill development and practise of skills learnt

in training;

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Team development and bonding; Developing a sense of pride, purpose and ownership; and Increasing the profile of the organisation in the wider community

Recommendation Attend youth centred events such as a concert, mountain biking championships, youth triathlons, or Scout meetings in order to increase the profile of the organisation.

4.1.4 Friends and Families

Often, young people took up volunteer positions because they had family members volunteering for the same organisation (NYARS). This was the case for at least one fifth of the young volunteers we surveyed, showing that it is a powerful feeder for our brigades.

Friends are also an important motivator for young people thinking about volunteering, and several members suggested that we aim to recruit “groups of friends” rather than just individuals. Some of the feedback we received included statements like:

“Well if I hadn't volunteered before, I think the friendships I would potentially make would perhaps inspire me”.

Recommendations Organise family centred social activities within brigades so that young people feel involved before they become volunteers. Initiate “bring a friend to training” days to encourage young members to draw on peer networks as a source of recruitment.

4.1.5 Cadet Brigades “The literature suggests strongly that volunteers who start while they are young are likely to endure as volunteers” (McLennan et al 2004: 23). Often young people do not volunteer because of age barriers. Our brigades do not accept volunteers under the age of sixteen, but much evidence shows that members of cadet brigades often go on to be active and valuable members of regular brigades. Both the NSW Rural Fire Service and the Victorian Country Fire Authority have large and active cadet memberships who regularly compete in field days and other activities specially designed for young people.

The idea of starting cadet brigades was brought up during our phone interviews with ACT Captains. Generally, when asked about the idea of starting cadet brigades (for 12-17 year olds) responses were favourable however, some reservations included: Time - Captains felt they already had a lot of work to do and while

they liked the idea of cadet brigades in principle, they themselves did not feel like they had the time to run them.

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Effort vs Results – Much time and energy would be spent training these young people who were then under no obligation to continue on into adult brigades. Nor could they be deployed to fires until they were over 16 years of age.

Recommendation Start up several Cadet Brigades, or one central Cadet Brigade. Perhaps run the Cadet Brigade or brigades independent of regular brigades. This will allow ACT RFS to a) take the pressure off Captains, who already have large workloads and b) locate them in areas accessible by public transport so that young people can make their way to and from training independently. Also, encourage the utilisation of interested volunteers to help run Cadet Brigades.

4.1.6 General When developing web content and advertising campaigns, preparing for school visits or otherwise thinking about recruiting young people, some things that need to be emphasised are: That young people are welcome in brigades. Include images of

young people participating and have young people present at demonstrations and events.

How exciting it can be – Personal accounts by young people of their experiences on fire grounds.

What they will get out of the experience, particularly: o Social benefits; and o Career development – the specific skills and experience they

will gain, for example: Teamwork, Leadership, Initiative, Decision making (McLennan et al 2004)

4.2 Retention As a result of the surveys which asked young people about their experience of volunteering for the ACT RFS, two main areas of dissatisfaction arose. It is a recommendation that these be addressed in order to improve retention of young volunteers.

4.2.1 Culture While 96% of the young people surveyed felt that the social side of being in the RFS was “Important” or “Very Important”, many also said that there were elements of the Brigade culture that they were unhappy with. Terms like “cliquey”, “unfair” and “unequal” were used to express this displeasure. Amongst survey respondents, there seemed to be a feeling that the younger members of the brigade were less likely to get chosen to attend fires, regardless of their levels of experience. Some survey respondents referred to it as “Reverse Ageism”, where they felt undervalued or discriminated against simply because they were young. The implementation of a buddy program may help overcome some of these concern, making younger members feel more comfortable within the brigades. Another initiative is the development of a “Youth Representative” position within each brigade. In order to retain young people within the brigades, they need to feel like they are actively

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involved and have a sense of ownership (NYARS 2004; McLennan et al 2004). This would also provide peers with which they could talk to should there be issues within a Brigade. Young people are energetic and a good source of fresh ideas. These representatives could be involved in the brigade’s executive committee, as well as providing liaison with the Community Awareness Unit and Volunteer Support Unit. They could provide ongoing input into communication, recruitment and training, the development of a web page and Facebook site as well as acting as representatives at community events.

Recommendations Initiate “Buddy” programs within brigades to help new recruits of various ages fit in and develop good working relationships with more experienced brigade members. Develop Youth Representative positions within brigades to sit on the executive committee and speak on behalf of younger brigade members. Utilise these representatives when liaising with young people in the wider community.

4.2.2 Training Ninety one percent of survey respondents felt that time spent fighting fires, was a Very Important or Important element in their experience with the RFS. When asked how they felt that training could be improved, 80% mentioned that they would like more time spent on actual fire grounds, and more practical “hands-on” training. The following is a diagrammatic representation of question number 8 in the

survey of young RFS members. Some of the comments included:

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“Increased number of simulation exercises / scenarios encompassing 2 or more brigades participation”.

“More practical training, not just lots of theory”. “more hands on experience with equipment outside the fire station”. Another element they felt could be improved was to further formalise the training. Many survey respondents felt that they had not received enough training and that the training they did receive lacked structure and organisation. It is important to note here that in several of the studies reviewed young people often needed lots of recognition (NYARS 2004; Mclennan et al 2004) and suggest using increasing formal recognition in order to retain recruits.

Recommendation Formally recognise training and other achievements within the brigade that may not be accredited; such as teamwork, leadership, sportsmanship, dedication to the community etc. This could take the form of badges, certificates or annual service awards. These could then be used in job applications etc.

Over half our survey respondents said that they would like to be able to complete theory training online. Some care will need to be taken to ensure this does not further isolate younger members from the older RFS population. A good starting point may be to develop online training modules for some of the theory that must be completed before attending training. Some work is already being done by the Bushfire CRC: http://www.bushfirecrc.com/students/students/proga_asalter.html Disorganisation, with regards to things such as the provision of PPE and access cards, was mentioned several times by volunteers as something they would like to see changed about the RFS in general, one such quote claimed; “I find it hard to find volunteer work that's properly organised”. This was also mentioned by many young people who have volunteered with other organisations as one of the most off-putting elements of their volunteer experience.

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SUGGESTED INITIATIVES

The suggestions in this section are an informal collection of ideas that may be useful for engaging young people.

Run a competition to design an ad, a postcard, a game, a website or a blog about fire safety. Include messages that are essential, but allow for plenty of creativity. Perhaps contact design teachers in various ACT Colleges and get them to run it as an assessment task?

Run a Short Story competition about fire related experiences

Start a blog or website where 16-24 year olds can talk about their

own bushfire experiences, and include “What to do” and “What NOT to do” sections.

Suggested Advertising Campaigns:

Ads focusing on what they can give US.

Focus on body image and fitness. Perhaps something aimed at

young women focussing on being strong, active and heroic.

Ads featuring young people and using slogans like “Get Hot” “Get Dirty” “Cool it”.

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CURRENT INITIATIVES

CFA Junior Development Program http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/students/juniorvolunteers.htm NSW RFS on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rfsmedia NSW Cadet Brigades The initiatives below were aimed at younger people (5-15 year olds) http://www.ema.gov.au/schools “Dingo Creek” Interactive game in which students work to minimise the damage cause in the event of a natural disaster. Aimed at “middle school” students. (My note: Probably a bit daggy for them, but possibly okay for younger, primary school aged students – these kids have grown up with World of Warcraft and Secondlife) http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/kids/kidnas/Kidnas-GAME.html Interactive educational game. Also for a younger age group. http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/education/schooleducation.jsp Worksheets. Examples of good websites: http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/joining/volunteering/index.htm http://www.peninsularfs.org.au/index.htm

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REFERENCES

ABS – See Australian Bureau of Statistics ACMA – See Australian Communications and Media Authority Ausyouth 2003, It’s The Way You Do It That Counts: case studies of positive youth development in Australia Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra. DHCS – See ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services ACT Department of Disability Housing and Community 2009, DRAFT Young People’s Plan 2009-2014, Office for Children, Youth and Family Support, ACT Department of Disability Housing and Community, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006, viewed 11 Oct 2009 <http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3201.0> GfK Bluemoon on behalf of the Australian Communications and Media Authority 2009, Click and Connect: young Australians’ use of online social media Gloz, V 2003 ‘Generation Y’ Revolve, no. 1, YFC Australia, viewed 22 October, 2009 <http://www.yfc.org.au/resources/revolve_01.pdf> Hoffman, L 2005 ‘Gen Y Here and Now’ in The Weekend Australian Aug 20-21, viewed 3 November 2009, <http://www.careerone.com.au/advertisers/resource-centre/recruiting-hiring-advice/gen-y-here-and-now-20050905> Lynch, K 2006 ‘Gadgets Gizmos and Girls’ Proceedings of the Australian Women in IT conference, 4-5 Dec 2006. McLennan, J, Acker, F, Beatson, R, Birch, A & Jamieson, R 2004, Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Issues: a review of the literature, Report no. 4, Bushfire CRC in assoc. with La Trobe University, Bundoora. McLennan, J 2004, Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers: rural fire services’ issues and initiatives, Report no. 1, Bushfire CRC in assoc. with La Trobe University, Bundoora. McQueen, M 2008, The ‘New’ Rules of Engagement: a guide to understanding and connecting with Generation Y, Hyde Park Press, Sydney. McCrindle, M & Beard, M n.d., Seriously Cool: marketing, communicating and engaging with the diverse generations, McCrindle Research, Balkham Hills. McCrindle, M n.d., From Builders and Boomers to Xers and Y’s: a social report on Generations X and Y, McCrindle Research, Balkham Hills.

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McCrindle, M 2006, New Generations at Work: attracting, recruiting, retraining & training Generation Y, McCrindle Research, Balkham Hills. NYARS – See National Youth Affairs Research Scheme National Youth Affairs Research Scheme 2004, Passions, People and Appreciation: making volunteering work for young people, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra. Parkin, D 2008 ‘Future Challenges for volunteer based emergency services’ in The Australian Journal of Emergency Mangement, vol. 23, no. 2, pp 61-67. Quinn, S & Bethell, P 2006 ‘Connected but not Online: a snapshot of generation y in Australia’ in Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal vol. 6 no. 1 pp. 51-61. Simpson, K & Dinwoodie, M (eds) n.d., Communication for the Next Generation, http://www.mediatrust.org/youth-media/interactive-guide Accessed The Nielson Company 2009 How Teens Use Media: a Nielson report on the myths and realities of teen media trends, The Nielson Company, New York. Think Fresh n.d., Lets Talk About Generation Y, Fresh Contemporary Marketing and Training, Toowong, Qld. Youth Affairs Council of Victoria 2004 Consulting Young People About Their Ideas and Opinions, Office for Youth, Department for Victorian Communities, Melbourne.

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Young People and Volunteering Survey

1. Are you:

Male

Female * 2. I am currently (please tick any that apply):

Working Full-Time

Between things

Studying

Un-Employed

Travelling

Working Part-Time or Casually Please tell us what work you do, or what you are

studying 3. Have you ever participated in regular volunteer work? Are you still involved?

Yes, I am currently a volunteer

I have in the past, but not at present

What area did/do you volunteer in? 4. What were your reasons for volunteering?

5. What would inspire you to volunteer if you haven't before?

6. If you have volunteered in the past, but no longer do, what were your reasons for stopping?

7. If you have never volunteered before, why?

8. What do you do in your leisure time?

Read

Go Online

Outdoors activities (Snowboarding, Camping, Bushwalking etc)

Member of a club/society

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Hang out with friends/family

Listen to music

Go shopping

Play Sport

What leisure time?

Other (please specify) 9. Where would you go to find information on volunteering?

10. To go in the draw to win Paintball tickets, please enter your details below: To go in the draw to win Paintball tickets, please enter your details below: Name:

Email address:

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Appendix 2: 16-24 Year Old RFS Volunteers Survey

1. I am:

Male

Female 2. Do you work Full-time/Part-time/Casually? What is your occupation?

Full-time

Part-time

Casual

Not currently working

Occupation 3. If you are studying, what course are you doing?

If you are studying, what course are you doing? 4. What inspired you to join the RFS?

What inspired you to join the RFS? 5. With regards to your experience in the RFS, how important are the following elements?

Very Important Important Not So Important

Social aspects Very Important Important Not So

Important

Fighting fires Fighting fires Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Training Training Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Learning new skills

Learning new skills Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Taking a leadership role

Taking a leadership role Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Doing something for the community

Doing something for the community Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Teaching others/Mentoring

Teaching others/Mentoring Very Important

Important Not So

Important

It will help me in my career

It will help me in my career Very

Important Not So

Important

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Important Not So Important

Very Important

Important

Being a rural landholder

Being a rural landholder Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Wanting a rural experience

Wanting a rural experience Very Important

Important Not So

Important

Other 6. If you could change three things about your experience with the RFS, what would they be? (If none, just leave blank)

1.

2.

3. 7. Could you suggest some ways to recruit 16-24 year olds to the RFS?

8. What improvements could be made to training?

What improvements could be made to training? Shorter sessions more often

Longer sessions less often

Theory modules online

Interactive games as training

More training on actual firegrounds

More structure to training sessions

Training run by and for young people specifically

Other (please specify) 9. What do you think might stop young people from volunteering with the RFS?

10. To go in the draw to win paintball tickets, please enter your details below:

Name: Email address:

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Appendix 3: Questions for Brigade Captains

Brigade: Captain:

As a REPRESENTATIVE of your brigade, could you describe the RELATIONSHIPS between the younger members of you brigade and (What are the DYNAMICS?)

a) the brigade as a whole

b) older members

c) other younger members

(If bad – how could they be improved)

What do younger members bring to the brigade?

Do you think the brigade would benefit from having

more young people? Why do you think we have low numbers of young

people? How do you think we could encourage more of them

to join and stay on as volunteers?

What do you think of the idea of having a Cadet Brigade?