Emergency Services Volunteer - QLD

It’s the perfect time to become an Emergency Service volunteer at Australian Red Cross and access fully funded accredited training through our new Qantas Partnership initiative

• Join the world’s largest humanitarian organisation and help people before, during and after emergencies
• Give your time flexibly - choose how and when you volunteer
• Upfront commitment to our minimum training requirements (online learning and role specific inductions) and basic computer literacy is essential as we roster and provide training using online tools

Why Choose to volunteer with Red Cross?

We support you while you support communities in need.

• Everyone is welcome. Regardless of background or life stage, you can play a vital role in helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters
• You will be part of a community of humanitarians and connect with a network of dedicated volunteers who share your passion for helping others. You’ll join our cohort of trained volunteers ready to assist locally and across the state in times of emergency.
• As part of your ongoing development as an Emergency Services volunteer, you will be invited to complete an accredited First Aid Training course that is fully funded as part of a new Qantas partnership pilot initiative. This is in addition to Psychological First Aid training provided.

You’ll have real impact

• As an Australian Red Cross Emergency Services Volunteer, you will have a direct impact with the members of your community. Whether you are providing personal support (Psychological First Aid) to people affected by emergencies, helping communities prepare before or recover after a disaster, or supporting training and operations, you will be making a real difference.

The program 

Australian Red Cross has been responding to emergencies and providing humanitarian assistance in Australia since 1914. We are committed to strengthening and extending our emergency aid services to assist all Australians in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies.

Our work consists of a range of support to communities at-risk of disaster or that have experienced an emergency.  We work in communities before an emergency assisting with individual and community preparedness, during an emergency providing support in welfare and relief centres and through our emergency phoneline, and after emergencies as communities move through the recovery process. 

We also work with many stakeholders to provide training in psychological first aid, response, emergency management and recovery.

The opportunity 

We are looking for people who are willing to be trained to provide this support to our communities. The opportunity requires volunteers to maintain their training so they can respond when needed.  This is not a predictable volunteering opportunity as we don’t know when emergencies are going to happen.  We are asking you to be prepared to respond when you are needed. However, you will still have the flexibility to decide when you volunteer your time and what activities you would like to be involved with.

This also applies to our ongoing preparedness and recovery work. Examples of this include participation in community events, meetings, administration support, training, and facilitation etc. You will be notified of opportunities as they arise.

As an Emergency Services volunteer

You will be supported to complete:

• Psychological First Aid training
• Mandatory e-learning modules

• Role-specific induction

In addition, you will:

• Join a local team which is part of a large network of locally based teams working on response
• Have opportunities to engage in preparedness, response and recovery activities
• Develop skills that allow you to provide psychosocial support, training programs and community development services in your own communities and beyond

Attributes of Successful volunteers:

• Open to working with all members of the community sometimes during very challenging times.
• Strong interpersonal listening and highly developed communication skills.
• Able to communicate in a respectful, sensitive, and supportive way.
• Enjoy working in teams and be driven to maintain their skills and knowledge.
• Equipped with stress-management and self-care strategies.
• Basic computer literacy.

Application requirements

• Successful volunteers will be required to undertake a National Police Check. This will be organised through and paid for by Australian Red Cross. 

• The role will also require you to hold or apply for a clearance to work with children. Australian Red Cross can assist you to apply for this check and will reimburse you for the cost of this check.

Further information 

To find out more about this opportunity please email qld_es_volunteers@redcross.org.au

Thank you for considering volunteering at Australian Red Cross. We also have great career opportunities, please visit our website at www.redcross.org.au/careers