Volunteering WA (VWA) has launched a new and improved Volunteer Community Recovery platform thanks to funding from the McGowan Government.
VWA received a total of nearly $176,000 over four years to enhance its online emergency volunteering platform.
The online platform started out in 2019 as an emergency volunteer database in response to bushfire emergencies. It was subsequently adapted to help manage the overwhelming volunteer response to community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 4,000 people registered on the database at the start of the pandemic, offering a helping hand to vulnerable people. It also operated as a key contact point for those hoping to volunteer during the Wooroloo bushfires and Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seroja.
VWA has now improved the Volunteer Community Recovery platform with a new version, building its capability in recruiting and managing volunteers in times of emergency, community recovery, and other significant events that would benefit from efficient access to volunteers.
The improvements to the platform were made with the understanding that the community response required for each emergency is different, so volunteers can now be contacted to support organisations with a variety of activities, such as;
- donation sorting;
- food preparation and delivery;
- transportation;
- fence building; and
- community clean-ups.
VWA will conduct a system review of its existing databases and a cost/benefit analysis to refine further improvements to its platforms and databases.
The platform can be accessed at https://emergency.volunteer.org.au/
As stated by Volunteering Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The effects of emergencies can be felt long after the initial impact has subsided, and there is still a need for different types of volunteers to be involved to support the recovery process.
"The new and improved Volunteer Community Recovery platform will connect people who want to step up during times of crisis with organisations in their community coordinating a response.
"As we've seen in WA in recent times, recovery following an emergency can take weeks, months, or even years, and this is when volunteers can be of the greatest help.
"This was an election commitment by the McGowan Government to provide funding to support emergency volunteering technology, and another example of how we've worked to make those actions come to fruition.
"It is vital to be prepared, and have a network of people ready to assist at that time, and this increased automation and ability to connect volunteers to volunteer positions will streamline the process for both volunteers, and community recovery organisations."
