Reflecting on the Community Engagement Regional Forums

Forbes. Wagga Wagga, Rooty Hill. Coffs Harbour.

The Forums are over for 2013 and the focus now shifts to the Conference in May next year. But first, Community Engagement Coordinator Tony Jarrett reflects on the Forums.

Your feedback showed overwhelming support, particularly the localised programs that were delivered this time. The locations seemed to work for most and the venues were great.

I can’t say it was perfect and a few things might need tweaking. For example, a bit more time may need to be put in between the Roadshows and Forums next time.

One of my key indicators of ‘success’ is how to gauge how well the room is working: to simply listen and observe table chatter generated by presenters and through the numerous exercises. I came away extremely pleased by what I heard and saw. People were challenged, they questioned each other and especially hearing “Now that’s a great idea!”

I am certain new friends were made across the networking and socialising at breaks, dinners and breakfasts.

Each time forums and conferences come around, a lot of head-scratching goes on at Headquarters. What is the best venue? When should an event be held? How should the program look?

If you attended, you would have seen how smoothly the Forums ran. The wallpaper stayed over the cracks just long enough! Most days, I was freaking out about how the program was working and being received. Too many times I would text or ask Troy about something, only to get an answer like “Don’t worry mate, it’s all sorted”. Brydie – who put most of the sessions together – spent a lot of her weekends checking with us on the progress of the sessions.

The other really pleasing element to this round of Forums was the dozens of folk hosting, presenting and facilitating. All in 67 people at one time or another were upfront, with some presenting at all 4, 3 or two Forums – 23 volunteers and 33 staff and 7 from Red Cross, SES and our own Customer Service Centres.

The most well received sessions were often those local brigade stories – volunteers working with their communities to deal with their bush fire risks.

The Forum presentations and information are available on the Community Engagement section of MyRFS under Conferences & Forums > Regional Forums.

Thank you to all volunteers and staff for contributing to the Forums.

Tony Jarrett