Each year on November 5, International Volunteer Managers Day acknowledges the important contribution of volunteer managers.
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Aptly, the theme for 2020 is "What's Next?", after the catastrophic bushfiire season was so closely followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, creating challenges on so many levels.
Those leading volunteer efforts in the region have found themselves in very demanding positions.
Loretta Fella, team leader for Merimbula Red Cross Emergency Services is no exception, working with a team of 25 volunteer members, mostly from Merimbula and Eden.
Ms Fella has been managing volunteers with the Red Cross since the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2008 and said as emergency services volunteers it was very challenging when the community's being impacted by an event.
"It's been wonderful to meet so many people who are on the same wavelength as I am, passionate about providing assistance to others," Ms Fella said.
"The organisation itself has quite a number of different aspects, from preparation and education, to emergency assistance and recovery.
"We have worked closely with the firies and SES and have built great relationships with other services, finding common ground to best assist people in time of need is very rewarding.
"We need to make sure our team are aware of what's going on, it's really important to keep everyone up to date with new training.
"Our team are fulfilled by a sense of connecting with their communities, knowing it could have been them, their family, and in some cases it was," Ms Fella said.
Ms Fella said support from her three deputy team leaders helped to keep her going.
"It's not a one-man band - I'm so lucky to have that competent, skilled and empathetic support," she said.
Empathy and the ability to listen are vital skills as an emergency services volunteer and the Red Cross team have undertaken Psychological First Aid training.
"As a team we need to understand our roles and what is expected at different stages, we need to have the ability to talk to people, to bring out their current needs and find out how they're coping so we can make sure support is effective at each stage," she said
"Unfortunately the Red Cross had a fair few negative comments early after fires. That publicity was very hard, it makes you angry when you know it's wrong. But as weeks and months have gone by people haven't have anything bad to say about our efforts - we are in this for the long haul.
"We don't do it to get a pat on the back, but it is very satisfying to hear what we've provided is what they have needed in a very difficult time," Ms Fella said.
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Leah Szanto
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
