This paper discusses the role of government agencies in the delivery of emergency management training for senior secondary students as a means of advancing a range of social, political and economic goals.

Emergency management training for young people (particularly mid to late-teens) is under funded and under valued. Sharing the responsibility is a delivery model which values young people and recognises them as the emerging workforce responsible for responding to the failings of the fossil-fuel economy and a full range of natural disasters.

The three R’s of government (regulations, rules and reporting) support robust processes and systems, which result in most outcomes being robust and aspiring to best practice baselines. The integrity of the shared-responsibility model is in well-defined functions and roles, understanding expectations, and maintaining accountable records.

Shared-responsibility modelling necessitates working with solution-focused people and showing decision makers how emergency response training can meet specific departmental outcomes by providing evidence of success. Emergency management training is uniquely placed to meet a wide range of policy outcomes as defined by reporting metrics and success criteria across government agencies.

People between 15-19 years old are among the most accident-prone risk-takers in our communities and workplaces; providing them with an opportunity to participate in a learning pathway that contextualises emergency response and leadership skills is a future-focused and immediate means of developing resilient populations.  

The United Fire Brigades Association’s partnership with government agencies, emergency sector organisations and schools in New Zealand is a starting point in defining an effective youth-centred engagement strategy while also meeting several government policy priorities (including education, accident prevention, mental health, volunteer workforce sustainability, safer workplaces, community resilience and capability).

Sharing the responsibility is a work in progress. This paper attempts to define the social, political and economic variables associated with engaging youth in emergency services training.