The RFS, along with the Foundation of Young Australians and the Australian Chinese Charity Foundation, joined forces to host the forum aimed specifically at volunteers aged between 18 to 25-years-old.
RFS assistant commissioner, Jason Heffernan, Change It Up program manager, Alex Snow, RFS volunteers Jamie Searle and Nathan Barnden, Australian Chinese Charity Foundation chairman, Samuel Chu and RFS Association president Tim Arnott. Photo: LAURA McINTYRE
RFS manager of volunteer relations and workforce plans, Narelle Koteff said there were more than 40 attendees at the forum from all over NSW.
Based on the Change It Up model designed by the Foundation of Young Australians, the young RFS volunteers were given the chance to build on each other's ideas in order to present a final proposal to a panel of executives in the RFS.
"All the participants have been extremely proactive and enthusiastic," Ms Koteff said.
RFS assistant commissioner, Jason Heffernan, said he thought the Young Members Forum was an important way to build the relationships between the volunteers.
"It's about fostering the development of our young members and focus on the next generation," Mr Heffernan said.
While the RFS were mainly associated with assisting emergency services, Mr Heffernan said it was the community activities which were also a vital part of the organisation.
"We as an organisation are always seeking to develop and grow," he said.
RFS youth volunteers, Jamie Searle, from Tamworth, and Nathan Barnden, from Bega, said they had both appreciated the opportunity to pitch their ideas to figures higher up in the organisation.
"We've been focusing on suggesting the idea of a mentor program for all youth volunteers," Mr Barnden said.
"We would also like to look at the idea of appointing a youth liaison officer for each brigade in the state."
At the current time, Mr Barnden said the liaison officers were appointed at a state level and needed to be more accessible to each individual area.
While their ideas were all pitched to the panel, Change It Up program manager, Alex Snow, said the Foundation of Young Australians would be following the progress of the RFS youth volunteers, to assist them in connecting with the appropriate people to develop their ideas further.
