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Leading behaviour change together: A gold-ribbon winning engagement initiative with measurable community impact
Following Silver Ribbon recognition in 2023 and 2024, Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) delivered an award-winning community engagement program at the Royal Melbourne Show in 2025, earning the Gold Ribbon for Community Connection. The activation brought volunteers, partners and the public together to drive meaningful emergency preparedness action at scale.
Central to this achievement was Do 1 Thing, an inclusive, volunteer-designed behaviour-change approach that empowers community members to commit to a single, achievable protective action relevant to their circumstances.
Using a structured engagement model, VICSES combined guided preparedness conversations, participant-led action selection and an opt-in SMS follow-up mechanism to support and measure behaviour change. Across the 11-day activation, supported by more than 80 VICSES volunteers and staff, 591 preparedness commitments were made. Of these, 77 per cent of participants consented to follow-up contact, with 27.2 per cent later reporting completion of their chosen action, demonstrating measurable influence on household-level resilience.
The activation was deliberately designed as a multi-layered engagement environment. Alongside the Do 1 Thing commitment activity, VICSES introduced its first dedicated Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) for community engagement, enabling immersive interaction for children while adults participated in preparedness conversations. A large-scale “Floods and Ladders” floor game further reinforced risk awareness and protective behaviours through interactive learning.
This initiative directly reflects the AFAC26 theme Leading Behaviour Change Together, demonstrating how operational volunteers, community engagement teams and partner organisations can collaborate to create inclusive environments that support action, not just awareness. The results highlight integrity through transparent, consent-based methodology; inclusion through accessible participation across ages, cultures and abilities; and impact through measurable behaviour change at scale.
The Do 1 Thing action framework is now being embedded within the 2026 VICSES Preparedness Program, providing a scalable model for state, regional and local engagement.
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