Emergency Services Group Networks Volunteer - NSW

• Time involved: As required - Varied Hours
• Location: flexible – opportunity for deployment to other areas across NSW, ACT or nationwide if needed.
• Contribute to Red Cross Emergency Services by helping before, during and after emergencies in a variety of roles.
• Upfront commitment to minimum training requirements - 9 hours e-learning and PFA Skills webinar or face-to-face training (5-8 hours). 
• Computer literacy is essential.

Why Choose to volunteer with Red Cross?

• Flexibility to choose how and when you volunteer your time
• It’s an opportunity to enhance your skills & knowledge & gain new experiences
• You’ll be helping Red Cross to support vulnerable people across Australia before, during and after an emergency

The program 

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. As part of our Emergency Services team, you will join a group of over 800 trained volunteers ready to assist locally and across the state in times of emergency.

Our work spreads far and wide, including supporting communities, groups, and individuals to prepare for emergencies, as well as assisting with response and disaster recovery.  We also work with many stakeholders to provide training in psychological first aid, response, emergency management and recovery.

The opportunity 

Red Cross provides 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 are looking for people who are willing to be trained to provide this type of 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 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 at community events, meetings, admin support, training and facilitation etc.  You will be notified of opportunities as they arise. 

Your commitment:

• Upfront training in Psychological First Aid Skills (5 hour webinar or 1 day face-to-face)
• Mandatory e-learning modules (x10) – duration approximately 9 hours

As a volunteer you will:

• join a local team which is part of a large network of locally based teams
• be provided with opportunities to engage in preparedness and recovery activities
• develop skills that allow you to provide psychosocial support, training programs and community development services in your own communities and beyond.

Successful volunteers are:

• open to working with all members of the community sometimes during very challenging times
• have strong interpersonal listening and communication skills
• be able to communicate in a respectful, sensitive, and supportive way
• enjoy working in teams and be driven to maintain their skills and knowledge.
• Computer literacy is required.

The impact 

As a 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 be emergencies, helping communities prepare before or recover after a disaster or support training and operations, you will be making a real difference. 

Red Cross will ensure you have training, ongoing support, and access to other opportunities within the NSW Red Cross. 

Red Cross strives to create a safe and inclusive culture with wellbeing at its centre. We embrace diversity and welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people with different lived experiences, abilities, gender, ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. We are a child safe organisation with zero tolerance of any harm to children. Our vision is to be trusted as the leading humanitarian organisation making a genuine difference in the lives of people and communities. 

Application requirements

• For this role you will be required to undertake a National Police Check, which will be organised through Red Cross. 
• The role will also require you to hold or apply for a Working With Children Check or Working With Vulnerable People Check depending on your State/Territory.  Red Cross can assist you to apply for this check.

Further information

To find out more about this opportunity please contact Bridget Wadling on 02 4428 4906 or via email nswemergencyservices@redcross.org.au. 

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