Introduction

The Stand Up and Be Counted Project

The Stand Up and Be Counted Project was undertaken by the University Department of Rural Health, Tasmania, in collaboration with members of the Convention of Ambulance Authorities from Australian and New Zealand ambulance services using Volunteer Ambulance Officers (VAO), which were:

• Queensland Ambulance Service
  
• Rural Ambulance Service of Victoria
  
• St John Ambulance Australia Northern Territory Incorporated
  
• St John New Zealand
  
• St John Ambulance WA Ambulance Service Incorporated
  
• SA Ambulance Service
  
• Tasmanian Ambulance Service
  
  

The research used a descriptive research model with a survey to gather information on the current situation for VAO and what is important to them. The project steps included formation of an Advisory Committee, literature review and survey tool development, survey dissemination, and data entry and analysis. The More Than a Band-Aid Project was considered a pilot for the Stand Up and Be Counted Project and the literature review was updated. The survey was adjusted according to the new requirements from additional services and lessons learned from the pilot.

The Project’s short-term outcomes were:

• a clearer understanding of the factors affecting VAO recruitment and retention;
  
• organisational, national and cross-sectoral strategies to address volunteer issues;
  
• increased capacity for standardised data collection thereby benefiting future strategic planning and research, and
  
• increased Ambulance Service capacity for strategic planning using appropriate ‘hard data’.
  
• in the long-term it is expected the project will assist with:
  
• adequate numbers of VAO suitably trained and supported;
  
• reduced attrition rates;
  
• increased preparedness and capacity of communities, particularly rural and remote communities, to respond to emergencies and disasters.