To ensure that society is as resilient as possible in natural and man-made disasters, authorities cannot function on their own. Active civil society organizations (CSOs) and skilled volunteers are needed to support authorities in their actions as volunteers play a significant and a vital role in helping to ensure their local communities are safe and societies are resilient towards threats and risks. Engaging and involving volunteers contribute to the creation of a common societal security culture, where all actors play a significant and complementing role in resilience.
ReSit, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland, will aim to create a situational picture of volunteers and volunteerism in fire & rescue and civil protection in the Baltic Sea Region and thus, in part, enhance resilience in natural and man-made disasters. The situational picture will be used to create common guidelines for volunteerism in the region and the project will also map out potential funding for a European-level project. The project will be conducted through questionnaires and interviews with experts, volunteers and authorities in the area. Special focus will be on local authorities and especially cities.
ReSit will run from December 2019 to December 2020. The Finnish National Rescue Association (SPEK) will be the project leader and project partners are Liepaja Municipal Police/Union of the Baltic Cities (Safe Cities Commission) from Latvia, Frederiksborg Brand og Redning from Denmark and Beredksabsforbundet – Danish Civil Protection League.
Additional information:
Taina Hanhikoski
Senior Specialist
The Finnish National Rescue Association
taina.hanhikoski@spek.fi
+358 40 590 8002