Strengthening cooperation between authorities and volunteers in crisis preparedness: RiA-ENGAGE study visit in Sweden

From 29 May to 1 June 2026, representatives of the RiA-ENGAGE project gathered in Sweden for a study visit hosted by the Swedish Civil Defence Association. Bringing together project partners and invited guests from across the Baltic Sea Region and Ukraine, the visit focused on strengthening cooperation between authorities and volunteers in crisis preparedness and response.

Participants included representatives of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Estonian Rescue Association, and Vovchok Folk High School, alongside invited experts and practitioners from Ukraine, Latvia, Germany, and Poland. The programme combined expert presentations, discussions, and field visits to provide practical insights into Sweden’s preparedness system and the role of volunteers at national and regional levels.

The visit began in Rosersberg with an introduction to the Swedish Civil Defence Association and the country’s preparedness framework. Participants also learned about the role of Sweden’s voluntary defence organisations through presentations by the umbrella organisation Sveriges Frivilliga Försvarsorganisationer (FFO).

A key highlight of the programme was the opportunity to observe a national-level exercise organised by VAKA, Sweden’s national support group for emergency drinking water supply, together with the Swedish Food Agency. The exercise demonstrated how authorities and volunteer organisations cooperate to strengthen preparedness for disruptions affecting water supply and other critical services.

The programme then continued in Karlstad, where participants explored local and regional approaches to volunteer engagement. Presentations from the Municipality of Malung-Sälen highlighted practical examples of cooperation between municipalities and volunteers, while Ukrainian speakers shared valuable experiences of mobilising communities and volunteer networks during wartime.

“We are not only building preparedness. We are building relationships between people. When a crisis comes, people make the difference,” said Niclas Jolhammar, Security and Preparedness Coordinator at Malung-Sälen Municipality.

Participants also visited a regional volunteer training exercise organised by a local branch of the Swedish Civil Defence Association. The exercise focused on forest fire response and brought together volunteers and public authorities from three regions, providing a practical example of regional cooperation in crisis management.

Throughout the study visit, participants exchanged experiences, discussed challenges and good practices, and examined different models for involving volunteers in preparedness and emergency response. The insights gathered will contribute to the development of one of the RiA-ENGAGE project’s key outputs: a cooperation model supporting effective collaboration between authorities, volunteers, and volunteer organisations.

Photos: Hendrik Tali, Päästeliit