2.3.3 Conclusions

on cooperation of volunteers and authorities in the field of civil protection’, The Finnish National Rescue Organisation, 2020).

The situational picture of volunteering in the Baltic Sea Region has many positive features: cooperation exists in all of the countries, volunteers are mentioned in the countries’ legislation at some level, contracts among volunteer organisations and the authorities are commonplace and their mutual relationships are mostly regarded as good.

However, in most of the countries there are some shortcomings in structures (legislation, the authorities’ plans, partnerships) and in coordinating volunteers (directing, leading). There is, therefore, a need to clarify the role/mission of volunteers in legislation as well as in planning and operational procedures, and to improve the umbrella coordination of volunteers. Difficulties in recruiting volunteers are very common. The study confirmed the previous results according to which the challenges in retaining and recruiting volunteers relate to societal changes (ageing population, urbanisation), organisational processes (e.g., for intensive training the organisational culture does not recognise volunteers) as well as individual reasons (individualism, lack of spare time, lack of interest). The measures that should be taken are diverse and require the contribution of volunteer organisations themselves as well as support from the authorities, the state and the employers of volunteers.

Many volunteer organisations consider their financial resources to be insufficient for civil protection tasks. The sufficiency and continuity of financing, for example continuous state funding, is crucial to these organisations. According to the study, volunteers are not involved in a systematic way in international cooperation and the level of joint exercises and planning activities with the authorities is low. The institutional framework of international cooperation is unclear to volunteer organisations.

From the perspective of volunteering, this study supports the findings of previous studies according to which civil protection cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region needs more clearly articulated common goals and umbrella coordination, for example in the context of the CBSS (cf ‘Working Paper on

Civil Protection in the Baltic Sea Region Perspective 2016–2020 Selected Problems’; Barzanje, Ekengren & Rhinard, 2018; Ojala, 2004).

According to this study, in all of the countries there is a willingness to form an international forum for volunteers and the authorities where common goals and tasks are defined and practised in order to jointly prepare for possible disasters in the area.

Features of cooperation between volunteers and authorities

Features that are common or quite common

•Cooperation - especially with volunteer firefighters • Contracts for cooperation • Volunteers are included in preparedness plans • Joint exercises are organised (between authorities and volunteers) • Variety of tasks for volunteers • Volunteer organisations cooperate with spontaneous volunteers

Existing features supporting volunteers

•Legal recognition of volunteers • Education & training generally available for volunteers

•Volunteers and authorities consider their relation to be good Features that are not so common

•International cooperation • COVID-19 related cooperation • Harmonised standards for volunteers’ tasks and responsibilities in the Baltic Sea region

Features to improve

•Recruiting and motivating volunteers • Funding • Training concerning tasks in major disasters and general guidance of citizens • International cooperation • Insurance cover to be 100 %

•Structures for cooperation (legislation, authorities plans, partnerships) • Coordination of volunteers (directing and leading)

Figure 14. Features of cooperation between volunteers and authorities

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Faculty of Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, ‘Foundations of

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