Volunteering with BlazeAid

The recent bushfires in Australia was the worst the country has ever experienced. 25.5 million acres of land burnt, 33 people died, 3000 homes destroyed, thousands forced to evacuate and an estimated billion animals lost their lives! Hats off to all the firefighters and help that came from everywhere as the country fought to contain the fires.

Huge amount of work remains to rebuild affected communities and ecosystems. This is where organisations like BlazeAid come into play to help rebuild communities affected by natural disasters like fires, floods, cyclones etc. Blaze Aid is a unique volunteer run organization with close to zero admin costs which means any donations made goes directly towards achieving their purpose.

Being an avid camper and bush walker, I have wanted to do my part going beyond donating money. I am most fortunate that Schneider Electric has extended paid volunteer leave from 3 to 5 days in 2020 for those who are supporting the important work of rebuilding bushfire affected communities through BlazeAid. There are 60+ Schneider Electric employees who will be volunteering with BlazeAid at camps across the country this year. Proud to work for a company that provides its employees paid time off to volunteer and give back to the community. Read more about the Schneider Electric Foundation and how we give back to the community here.

I got to spend last week volunteering at the Kangaroo Island BlazeAid camp. More than half of Kangaroo Island 211,000+ hectares were burnt by the bushfires with 25000 koalas estimated to have lost their lives as fires blazed through the entire Flinders Chase National Park and western part of the island. Having previously visited KI with fond memories of pristine wildlife, bushwalks and serene beaches, I was saddened by how much this island got affected. I jumped at the opportunity in being able to go and support in a meaningful way on the ground.

During my time with BlazeAid last week, I have reflected on how I was living our Schneider Electric 5 Core Values which define “how we work” and the behaviours we expect our employees to demonstrate. Here are my thoughts on each of the values brought to life while volunteering with BlazeAid.

1. CUSTOMER FIRST

There was no doubt that the end customer we were serving was the farmer. As each customer is different, as is each farmer in how he/she has suffered and coped with the bushfires. It was important that we respect the farmer’s space and thoughts. Rebuilding after a disaster is not only about the hard infrastructure but also the soft side of things which is having people to talk to and sometimes just know that you have help. Some farmers were open to talking about what happened whereas others were devastated finding it difficult to think about the past months. What BlazeAid made clear was for the Team Leader to be the only person interacting with the farmer to discuss what help was needed and the specifics. This helps the farmer not getting overwhelmed with different opinions and strangers telling them how his/her fence should be put up.

We were there to do a job and do it the way the farmer wanted it. While volunteers were encouraged to talk to the farmer, work related discussions were to be handled only by the Team Leader. This was about understanding the customer needs and ensuring we worked as a team to get the work done. What was also important is acknowledging the human said and unsaid needs - it’s not all about getting the job done. It’s also the experience which as volunteers while we were encouraged to talk to the farmer we also needed to know when to respect their space as not everyone has come to terms with the devastation. Adapting to each farmer’s ways was crucial and something to be mindful of each day.

There was a farm where the farmer asked if we could help moving stuff in his sheep shearing shed. When he took us to the shed, I was shocked to see there was nothing remaining that would even remotely make it a “shed”. All a pile of debris that needed clearing and rebuilding. You could see the pain in his face and be grateful knowing how what we did was going to help him move on and rebuild. This was the most touching moment for me and one that drills home the need to personalise the experience to each customer’s unique needs. The job and the service you offer is the same but the experience for each customer will always be different and unique for him/her.

2. DARE TO DISRUPT

While we turned up at the camp thinking we would be building fences all week, soon we realized they were also in need of volunteers in the kitchen. We put our names down for kitchen duties 2 days. The possibility of designing and executing a dinner menu got me excited and I took a bold step to approach the kitchen Team Leader to present an idea. Wendee, the kitchen TL welcomed the idea and was very supportive in having us step up and organise dinner for the camp. The fact that we hadn’t previously cooked for 100 people or worked in a commercial kitchen didn’t matter to her. She trusted us and didn’t doubt her decision at any time.

While there were others who were surprised that we volunteered for this mammoth task to prepare from scratch a 5 dish Indian meal and dessert, Wendee had our backs all along. When I asked Wendee what made her welcome our idea she said 2 things - 1). I know I can always have a plan B and 2). I was confident that the Schneider Electric crew would get organised to make this happen. This experience has been a personal highlight for me that I will always remember and be proud of. The amount of planning, organisation, preparation, team work and long hours in the kitchen to bring it all to plate was like nothing I have done before. I am most proud of our Schneider team for not giving up or panicking at any instant (unlike what you see on those reality cooking shows on TV!). We were ready for service even an hour before dinner time!! We were humbled and overwhelmed with the feedback we received from all the volunteers. This was an experience of stepping up, taking a bold chance and delivering to and beyond everyone’s expectations. After all who doesn’t like butter chicken?!

3. EMBRACE DIFFERENT

I was pleasantly surprised to see the diversity of volunteers in the Kangaroo Island Blaze Aid camp. There were people from all over Australia staying for weeks and months to help out. People who happened to be travelling to South Australia and decided to help out at the Blaze Aid camp. Backpackers from different nationalities with their time at Blaze Aid counted towards their working holiday visa. Each day the camp coordinator would organize volunteers into teams of 4-6 people. You get to work with different people and farmers as no team is the same on consecutive days. Team work was crucial and this would not be possible without living this value of “Embrace Different”. When you think of the WHY you are here and connect with others, you are amazed at how a common cause has brought together people from different nationalities, backgrounds and ages.

At Schneider Electric, “Inclusive” is part of our Employee Value Proposition which you can read more about here. We go beyond hitting KPIs for diversity by ensuring our employees feel psychologically safe to be their best selves at work and take care of their wellbeing. Working with BlazeAid, there was never a moment when I felt or witnessed non-inclusive behaviours. Like Schneider Electric, BlazeAid wouldn’t attract and retain these many diverse volunteers if they didn’t make everyone feel welcomed, supported and included.

A special moment was when all women at the camp were given a flower on International Women’s Day. A nice thoughtful touch for my first day with BlazeAid!

Name tags are also mandatory to have on at all times (except when you are sleeping and showering of course). People always address you by your name without having to ask or remember which helps build connections with everyone in the camp.

4. LEARN EVERY DAY

Learning by doing is the best way most of us learn. At Blaze Aid we were given the opportunity to learn new skills and put them to use. Every team has a Team Leader who is experienced and patiently guides us in getting started. We worked as a team helping each other and playing to our strengths. There are plenty of ways you can help out at a BlazeAid camp from clearing or building fences to kitchen duties to book keeping to cleaning to coordinating and so on. All you need is an open mind to learning and trying out things you wouldn’t do in your normal job.

In the absence of time and resources to self-learn, the Team Leader and the team itself played an important role in teaching and helping each other. Just by being in a different team each day and not knowing what exactly you will be doing till that morning or sometimes even later keeps you on your toes.

Learning agility and being able to adapt to changing circumstances was key to ensure you not only got the most out of the day but also had a good time while at it!

5. ACT LIKE OWNER

This value was brought to life from our induction which involved understanding safety requirements and code of conduct. When you are volunteering with Blaze Aid, you are essentially representing them and working as their employee in a way. The daily morning muster covers important reminders for a safe day which the camp coordinator talks through diligently every single day. Team Leaders ensure volunteers have and use relevant PPE and only use tools they have been trained to use. Safety is not taken lightly and everyone plays a part in ensuring a safe environment at all times. This includes time spent in the camp after your day’s work covering things like personal hygiene, limited alcohol consumption etc.

Quoting few of BlazeAid's vital rules shared every morning:

• It needs to look right. It needs to feel right. Or you must act out.
• Never work alone. Buddy up.
• No tractor unless inducted.
• Silence is not golden. It is gutless.

The vital rules stressed the importance that EVERY person plays in acting like an owner.

End of each day, there was a debrief where each Team Leader gave an update on the highlights of the day sharing specific experiences and incidents. This helped bring together the whole group to appreciate and celebrate what they have collectively achieved. The structure and diligence in following these daily practices was an important part of contributing towards safe and productive work while giving everyone a sense of belonging to a community and ownership.

CONCLUSION

That summarizes my reflections and experience volunteering with BlazeAid as a Schneider Electric employee living our core values. I am truly humbled and grateful for this experience which was rewarding, challenging and fun. I would do this all over again and highly recommend BlazeAid.

Considering current circumstances with COVID-19 pandemic, Schneider Electric employees have been advised to postpone our upcoming engagements with BlazeAid for the time being. I am looking forward for more employees to have this wonderful opportunity and share their experience. Stay safe everyone!