Red Cross ACT... Volunteering Opportunities... CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

Become a Volunteer

Red Cross is committed to supporting the increasing needs of the most vulnerable members of the community. Volunteers play a vital role in the provision of Red Cross services. In the ACT, 1100 volunteers make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people.

Emergency Services:

WHAT: Trained volunteers are on stand-by to help during and after a disaster or emergency situation. Volunteer roles include providing personal support ('care and comfort') to affected people, providing registration services, and responding to enquiries from friends and families of evacuees. Volunteers may also be involved in assisting people in single incident emergencies such as windstorm, house fires, flooding or other disasters. Volunteers are required to attend training before they can be activated.
WHERE: Depends on location of emergency (for example, local evacuation centres, the airport, State Inquiry Centre (located in Red Cross House, Garran)
WHEN: On activation
COMMITMENT: Attend compulsory training and ongoing 'refresher' training. Volunteers are required to attend regular team meetings and practical exercises throughout the year.

Good Start Breakfast Club:

WHAT: Trained volunteers prepare and serve nutritional breakfasts to model positive social and living skills to primary school students in schools around Canberra
WHERE: Various primary schools across Canberra
WHEN: Schooldays only
COMMITMENT: Between approximately 8-9am once a week or fortnight

International Humanitarian Law (IHL):

WHAT: Volunteers with a relevant background research and write articles for publication and internal purposes, assist with the planning, organising and running of IHL events, and support the IHL Committee as required
WHERE: Various locations
WHEN: As required
COMMITMENT: Negotiable
COMMENT: Currently no vacancies. If you are interested in IHL and would like to receive the fortnightly e-newsletter, please contact People and Learning on 02 6234 7632 or send an email to actvolunteering@redcross.org.au.

Meals on Wheels:
Driver/Navigator

WHAT: Volunteer drivers and navigators deliver daily fresh and frozen meals to those who because of advanced age, ill health or disability are unable to prepare their own meals, to support them to maintain independence in their own home for as long as possible. Volunteers also provide personal daily contact and interaction with the clients, many of whom may be lonely or socially isolated.
WHERE: Daily fresh meals are picked up from offices in Belconnen and Holder. Frozen meals are picked up from Holder
WHEN: Daily fresh meals are delivered on weekdays around lunchtime (11am-1pm). Frozen meal deliveries are made on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and take approximately 3-4 hours.
COMMITMENT: Preferably minimum of one shift per fortnight; relief

Packer

WHAT: Packers help with the packing of frozen meals and getting them ready for the delivery runs.
WHERE: Meals on Wheels office, Holder
WHEN: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
COMMITMENT: Preferably minimum of one shift per fortnight

Office:

WHAT: Volunteers are involved in various programs and services in an administrative or supporting capacity to provide assistance to the coordinators and managers. Duties may include general office duties (photo copying and faxing; filing and archiving; preparing and/or restocking folders); undertaking word processing tasks; data entry and maintenance; assisting with mailouts, and other duties as required.
WHERE: Red Cross House, Garran
WHEN: Weekdays only
COMMITMENT: Negotiable

Telecross:

WHAT: Volunteers make a short friendly phone call each morning to check on the well-being of people who live by themselves and may be vulnerable due to advanced age, ill health or disability. The calls also provide personal contact and interaction with the clients, many of whom may be lonely or socially isolated.
WHERE: From a location convenient to the volunteer (eg own home, workplace)
WHEN: Daily, between 7.30am-11.00am
COMMITMENT: Daily phone call; relief

Visiting Services -

Community Visitors Scheme:

WHAT: Volunteers visit and support residents in aged care facilities who have been identified as being lonely or socially isolated with limited interaction or no contact at all with anyone in the outside community. They provide companionship, personal contact and interaction, and social support. Depending on mutual interests, the resident and volunteer may listen to music together, chat and reminisce, or the volunteer may assist the resident to take part in activities at the facility where appropriate. They may also enjoy social outings together, visit places of common interest, go out for coffee together, etc.
WHERE: Aged care facilities across Canberra
WHEN: Preferably on weekdays during daytime hours. After hours visiting varies between facilities
COMMITMENT: Around one hour per week or fortnight. Longer-term commitment required
REQUIREMENT: Minimum age 18

Extended Family Service

WHAT: The Extended Family Service provides support to Red Cross clients in the ACT who have no family or close friends located locally to act as a contact for their Red Cross service(s). Volunteers are matched with an individual who they will regularly visit or phone to provide companionship and to build a friendly, trusting relationship. Clients and volunteers may share activities such as listening to music, playing board games and occasional outings. The volunteer can also act as a liaison with the Visiting Services Manager on behalf of the client to ensure continuity of service(s) in times such as hospitalisation.
WHERE: Volunteers are matched with a client in the volunteer's preferred area or location
WHEN: Any time suitable to both the volunteer and the client
COMMITMENT: Regular contact should include at least one phone call or visit each fortnight
REQUIREMENT: Minimum age 18

MATES:

WHAT: MATES is a new volunteer program in the ACT that has been running successfully in Tasmania since 1997 and more recently in areas in South Australia and Victoria. MATES reconnects socially isolated people back to their community through volunteer companionship and support. MATES participants may be living in boarding houses, supported and residential facilities, have a mental illness or disability or be a forner prisoner readjusting to life in the community. Loneliness and isolation can be a result of poverty, lack of family support or reduced independent skills. Volunteers are fully trained and meet on a regular basis. This could be a social call, a trip to the footy or a cup of coffee at a local cafe. Volunteers can also help with every day activities such as shopping or testing a new bus route together.
WHERE: Throughout Canberra
WHEN: Usually once a week for an hour. Monthly get togethers will also be held with other volunteers to share your experiences and skills
COMMITMENT: Approximately one hour per week or fortnight. Longer-term commitment required
REQUIREMENTS: Minimum age 18. Participation in Red Cross training.

Volunteer Home Visitors Service:

WHAT: Volunteers visit and support older people or younger people with a disability living in the community in their own homes and who have been identified as being lonely or socially isolated with limited interaction or no contact at all with anyone in the community. Volunteers may also provide respite for carers. They provide companionship, personal contact and interaction, and social support. Depending on mutual interests, the client and volunteer may listen to music together, chat and reminisce; they may also enjoy social outings together, visit places of common interest, go out for coffee together, etc.
WHERE: Volunteers are matched up with a client in their area
WHEN: Preferably on weekdays during daytime hours. Limited after-hours visiting available, but might take longer to be matched up
COMMITMENT: Approximately one hour per week or fortnight. Longer-term commitment required
REQUIREMENT: Minimum age 18

Youth and Education Services -

Community Speaker

Community Speakers deliver a range of interactive Red Cross presentations in primary and secondary schools, and youth groups. The volunteers facilitate discussions about topics such as Red Cross history and Fundamental Principles, fundraising and volunteering, Geneva Conventions and Treaties (rules of war), tracing and refugee services within Red Cross, and how to prepare for and respond to emergency situations such as natural disasters. Community Speakers will not be required to develop presentations but will need to follow Red Cross approved presentations and familiarise themselves with speaker notes and topic content.
REQUIREMENTS: Minimum age 18 years. Volunteers must undertake a minimum of 2.5 hours training.

Save-a-Mate:

WHAT: Save-a-Mate is a health promotion program aimed at providing drug and alcohol education to young people. Volunteers help out at major youth events to encourage young people to stay safe while partying and look after their mates. They also deliver alcohol and other drug harm minimisation training at various locations including schools, colleges, youth centres etc.
WHERE: Various locations
WHEN: Weekdays, weekends and after hours (as per monthly events calendar)
COMMITMENT: Volunteers are required to attend a 3 hour training course before they can begin volunteering at SAM events. After training is completed, volunteers are encouraged to attend 1 event every 2 months, depending on the monthly events calendar
REQUIREMENT: Aged 30 years and under

Youth Crew:

WHAT: Youth Crew is a group of young volunteers aged 25 years and under who help out at different events throughout the year, without any fixed commitment to a specific service. It is run by young people for young people.
WHERE: Various locations
WHEN: Weekends and after hours (as per monthly events calendar)
COMMITMENT: Volunteering opportunities are created on an ad hoc basis and volunteers can help out as frequently or infrequently as they like
REQUIREMENT: Aged 25 years and under

To register your interest in becoming a volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Registration Form or contact People and Learning on 6234 7632 or Email

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