Volunteer Welfare Fund

Did you know that we have a Volunteer Welfare Fund?

The Volunteer Fire Rescue Services Association established a Volunteer Welfare Fund in 2011 to assist our volunteers in times of financial trouble.

What does the Volunteer Welfare Fund help with?

Some examples of what the Volunteer Welfare Fund can help financially include:

Urgent medical expenses and assistance in a crisis circumstance including travel expenses.
Loss of job and associated financial hardship.
Utility and household expenses.
Purchase of specialist medical equipment.
Funeral expenses.

How much money will the Volunteer Welfare Fund provide?

If you are eligible to apply for financial assistance, you can apply for a maximum of $5,000.

How do I know if I am eligible to apply for financial assistance?

To apply for financial assistance through the Volunteer Welfare Fund you need to be a current member of a brigade who has contributed towards the Volunteer Welfare Fund or an immediate dependent family member of one of our volunteers whose brigade has contributed towards the Volunteer Welfare Fund.

Which brigades have contributed towards the Volunteer Welfare Fund?

Below is a list of Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service brigades who have contributed towards the Volunteer Welfare Fund. If you are a current member of one of these brigades, you are eligible to apply for financial assistance.

If my brigade hasn’t contributed towards the Volunteer Welfare Fund how can I obtain financial assistance?

If you are ineligible to apply for the Volunteer Welfare Fund, there is another option.

Visit WA Emergency Services Volunteers’ Hardship Assistance Scheme to find out more about their financial assistance grant, which is available to volunteers from all emergency service agencies located in Western Australia.

Can I apply for the Volunteer Welfare Fund and the Volunteer Welfare Fund and WA Emergency Services Volunteers’ Hardship Assistance Scheme?

It is not possible to apply for funding from both the Volunteer Welfare Fund and WA Emergency Services Volunteers’ Hardship Assistance Scheme at the same time.

If you are a member of a Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service brigade who has contributed to the Volunteer Welfare Fund, this is the scheme you should initially look into applying for.

How do I apply for financial assistance through the Volunteer Welfare Fund?

To start the application process, ask your brigade captain or secretary for an application form.

Your captain or secretary will assist you with completing the application, and they are required to verify the details of the application. Your captain or secretary will be the person who liaises with the Association and the Volunteer Welfare Fund Committee during the claim assessment on your behalf.

Please note: Should you wish not to approach your brigade’s captain or secretary for any reason, please contact the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association's executive officer by email or on 0427 800 038.

What information needs to be provided in the application?

The application for financial assistance through the Volunteer Welfare Fund should, to the best of your ability, include the following:

Completed application form, which can be obtained from your captain or secretary.

A letter explaining:
- why the funds are being requested
- details of what the funds will be used for and the the total amount required
- information about funding received from the Volunteer Welfare Fund or other fund assistance providers in the past and
- any documentation explaining or confirming your financial situation.

Supporting documents such as copies of medical certificates and bank statements.

A completed personal budget. A personal budget calculator template can be downloaded here.

Consent from any other persons identified in the application details.

How do I submit the application and supporting documentation?

Once completed, the application and supporting documentation are sent by your brigade’s captain or secretary to the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services' executive officer by email or by post to PO Box 164, Guildford WA 6135.

I am a captain or secretary of a Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service brigade. How do I assist my brigade member with applying?

Please contact the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association's executive officer by email or on 0427 800 038 for guidance on how to assist your brigade member and to commence the application process.

How long will it take for the application to be assessed by the Volunteer Welfare Fund committee?

The Volunteer Welfare Fund committee will assess claim as soon as possible. A specific time period cannot be given due to whether or not extra information is required to assess the claim.

The Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association's executive officer will be in contact once the application has been assessed and provide the decision.

If the application is successful, where are the funds paid to?

If granted, the funds will be paid to the brigade for distribution to the individual, or in special circumstances, directly to the organisations requiring payment - for example, to utility companies to prevent electricity or gas disconnection.

Will my privacy be protected?

The application process is completely confidential. The details of the applicant, the brigade, and the circumstances surrounding the application and the processing of the claim are not disclosed outside of the Association and Volunteer Welfare Fund committee.