Introduction to Coordinating Informal Volunteers

To view and download the accompanying learner journal, click here.

This course is split into 6 sections:

• What is an informal volunteer?
  • Definitions
  • Pathways into informal volunteering
  • Volunteer motivations
• Recovery context
  • Overview of emergency management
  • The role of the NSW Reconstruction Authority
  • Phases of volunteer coordination
• Minimum requirements for supporting informal volunteers
  • Overview of minimum requirements to consider before engaging volunteers
• Risk, WHS and volunteer wellbeing
  • Creating safe workplaces, training and supervision
  • Managing risk
  • Volunteer wellbeing
• Streamlined onboarding
  • Registration
  • Role matching
• Communication
  • Supervision and task delegation  

Duration

30 minutes. The online self-paced course consists of six sections, with opportunities to test your knowledge as you progress through the course. You must complete each section and the final knowledge check to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, learners will be able to:

• Recognise the role and value of informal volunteers in recovery
• Identify minimum requirements before engaging volunteers
• Consider registration, onboarding and role allocation processes
• Communicate and delegate roles clearly to reduce risk and confusion
• Identify key WHS and psychosocial risks and provide safe work environments for volunteer wellbeing.  

Target audience

This course is for anyone interested in emergency management volunteering, especially councils and community organisations interested in building their capability to coordinate informal volunteers in disaster recovery.

Assessment

Learners are not formally assessed during the course but are tested with a final knowledge check at the end of the course.

Accredited/Non-accredited training

This is a non-accredited course.

Personal information disclosure

Please consider the NSW Government privacy statement.