Volunteer firefighters will receive a degree of payment under a four-million-dollar package from the Government.

The scheme will see almost 12,000 volunteers paid $300 a year and $50 per night of training.

The announcement was made by Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin to kick-off National Volunteer Week.

Fire and Emergency Deputy Chief Executive Brendan Nally told Mike Hosking the money is compensation, not a wage.

"It's about recognising that our volunteers have actual costs attending training, and this is a small way of trying to compensate them for those actual costs."

He says it won't completely off-set costs for volunteers but it's a start.

"We're in a situation now where we can say to our volunteers we recognise there are costs involved in them doing the work you do for communities, and we're making a contribution to those costs."