Volunteer Engagement Model - Your Feedback is Important

The below has been sent out in an email to all volunteers and brigade leaders.

Project overview

The Volunteer Engagement Model project, formerly known as the Agreements of Service and Model Rules project, is being developed in collaboration with the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA).

Volunteer agreements were inherited with the formation of Fire and Emergency in 2017. These agreements are inconsistent across the country and we have not defined the foundation to support a relationship between volunteers, volunteer brigades and Fire and Emergency.

This project aims to modernise volunteer agreements to better reflect the vital role of volunteers to keep our communities safe, while defining relationships and aligning with the Fire and Emergency Act 2017. It also seeks to provide greater consistency and clarity about volunteer brigades connection to Fire and Emergency’s policies and procedures, all while preserving their independence and mana.

Scope
The finalised scope for this project includes the following agreements, documents, and processes:

• Agreement(s) of Service or Constitution(s)
• Brigade Rules of Association (Model Rules)
• Brigade Leader (Controller, Chief Fire Officer, Officer in Charge,) and Deputies – Appointment Process and Letter of Appointment
• Volunteer Appointment Process and Letter of Engagement

You can read the scope of work on the Portal.

Get involved

These agreements have not been predetermined, your feedback and insights are crucial to ensure the draft agreements reflect your brigade’s needs and expectations.  To ensure the agreements reflect real insights and experiences of volunteers, the project team are engaging with personnel in a variety of ways, including:

• attending regional leaders conferences
• attending the UFBA National Firefighters Challenge
• organising drop-in sessions
• UFBA Brigade Rep meetings
• visiting districts in from May – June
• actively seeking opportunities to attend meetings/hui

Feedback will be collected this year, with a formal consultation on the draft agreements scheduled in 2026.

Ways you can support the project

• Encourage your teams to share feedback and take part in discussions.
• Find your agreement of service or constitution and Brigade Rules of Association and familiarise yourself with these documents.
• Create opportunities for conversations within your brigade around the project.
• Attend an in-person information session held within your district in late May or June, dates coming soon
• Attend an online drop-in session, see dates and time below
• Share your insights on the agreements by 
  • emailing the project team: volunteerengagementmodel@fireandemergency.nz
  • attending an online drop-in session, see dates and times below
• Attend an in-person information session held within your district in June – dates coming soon
• Ask your leaders or the project team for more info or support.

More information about this project is on the Fire and Emergency’s Portal pagehttps://portal.fireandemergency.nz/projects-and-programmes/volunteer-engagement-model/ and UFBA website Volunteer Engagement Model Project | UFBA. 

You can contact the project team at connect@ufba.org.nz or volunteerengagementmodel@fireandemergency.nz with your feedback

Ngā mihi

Volunteer Engagement Model Project team 

UFBA - Julia Costa, Tayla August

FENZ - Ryley Webster, Barry Madgwick, Rowena Hughey, Rowan Whitton, Erica Herron, Selina Gentry and Logan Westwater