Preparing for Spontaneous Emergency Volunteers

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Volunteering WA recognises that natural hazards are an inherent part of the Western Australian landscape and a risk that we must manage and cope with.
Preparing for Spontaneous Emergency Volunteers Image

Non-frontline community volunteering

We appreciate that in times of need, Western Australians want to help. 

Community volunteers can provide crucial support to people who are impacted by an emergency.

emergency.volunteer.org.au is managed by Volunteering WA.

Our role is to connect people to community groups who need help outside of formal frontline emergency services roles.

Non-frontline community volunteers (also known as spontaneous emergency volunteers or community helpers) provide invaluable support to community groups and organisations before, during and after an emergency.

 

emergency.volunteer.org.au

How community volunteers can help

Spontaneous community volunteers play an essential role in disaster risk reduction, particularly when local skills and relationships can be harnessed.
  • Sorting
    clothing, blankets or goods donations
  • Transport
    for affected families
  • Animal welfare
    and support
  • Community clean up
    and rebuilding fences
  • Assisting with
    information desks and directing the public
  • Preparing food
    for affected families or emergency response teams

For community volunteers

Before an emergency

Visit emergency.volunteer.org.au and subscribe for volunteering notifications – we can then let you know if there is a request for community volunteers in your region.

Anyone can become an emergency support volunteer and be part of your community’s effort to recover in times of need.

You don’t need any specialist skills, just a hand in the air that says “I can help“.

 

When an emergency is happening

Register your details at emergency.volunteer.org.au, and if an organisation needs extra hands we will connect you.

  • Identify your skills, knowledge and availability.
  • Your details will be shared with organisations in your region if they request support from community volunteers.
  • Accept support volunteer roles from organisations.
  • Once you have accepted a role, the organisation will communicate directly with you to organise next steps.

For organisations and community groups

Local community groups and organisations play a vital part in the recovery phase of an emergency.

Before an emergency: Prepare

Register your organisation and find resources at emergency.volunteer.org.au

Be ready to recruit spontaneous volunteers if an emergency happens in your region.

Learn how to plan and coordinate spontaneous emergency volunteers with Volunteering WA’s videos, reports, checklists, and guides.

When an emergency is happening: Recruit and deploy

  • Register to let Volunteering WA know you need support volunteers.
  • Contact volunteers who have also signed up and have the skills you need.
  • Communicate directly with volunteers once they have accepted.

Project overview

This project acknowledges the funding contribution of the Commonwealth Government and support from the WA State Emergency Management Committee.

Volunteering WA operates on emergency volunteering recruitment platform emergency.volunteer.org.au, which enables people to register their details to become a support volunteer during the response and recovery stages of an emergency or natural disaster.

Over 4,573 people registered their details on the site during previous emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Wooroloo Bushfires, and Kimberley Floods to help collect donations and prepare food for affected families and frontline volunteers, clean and rebuild damaged communities, help care for displaced animals, and provide administrative support to response agencies.

REPORT: Spontaneous Volunteers in Recent Emergencies (PDF) Project Announcement