Craig Barber Read their storyDisaster Relief Australia is a one-of-a-kind organisation that is extremely well run and has the community at the forefront of its mind at all times. I highly recommend becoming part of the tribe and volunteering through Disaster Relief Australia, for anyone who wants to help and feels like they just have more to give.
Dig deep, work hard and feel rewarded. If you are looking to learn new skills, challenge yourself, meet likeminded people and help disaster affected communities, then volunteering with Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is the place to start.
Why volunteer with DRA?
Disaster Relief Australia operates at the forefront of disaster relief by combining volunteer recruitment and training with emergency disaster management best practices.
Sense of purpose – We offer a unique opportunity to be part of a humanitarian effort with a unified purpose, mission and intensity.
Part of a community – As an extension of the ‘tribe’ philosophy that exists in military and emergency services organisations, we understand the need for community cohesion and support during difficult times.
Identity – We provide an opportunity to be part of something bigger than yourself. If you’re a military veteran, you can rekindle a sense of belonging and mateship and be valued for your skills. If you’re a non-military member, you can bring your specialist skill set, forge a new identify, and be part of the reintegration of military veterans into civilian life.
Types of Volunteering
Strike team
Join our hands-on team cleaning up debris or sifting for personal belongings. With relevant training, you’ll also have the option to assist with chainsawing tasks.
Logistics
Manage inventory levels, coordinate equipment movements and maintain accurate records to ensure smooth logistics operations.
Memberships
Play a crucial role in onboarding new members by conducting vetting calls and providing ongoing support. Attend meetings and events to foster community within the organisation.
Safety
Contribute to safety procedures and support safety management during operations. Review post-action reports to enhance safety protocols.
Training
Assist in planning and coordinating training events, draft documents to support training materials or provide essential information to members attending training sessions.
Field content
Be the face of DRA by liaising with the media, capturing impactful photography, and collecting stories and testimonials to promote our mission and impact.
Local Disaster Relief and Recovery Teams
DRA has ten equipped and operational Disaster Relief and Recovery Teams (DRRTs) in all states and territories. Each DRRT is integrated into local, state and national disaster management plans and participate in forums, preparation activities and emergency management exercises.
Training opportunities
Effective disaster response comes from effective training and preparedness.
As a member of our tribe, volunteers are offered a range of training to equip them with valuable skills needed for disaster response, mitigation and recovery.
From chainsaw operations to drone and imagery analysis and incident command systems, our training keeps us at the cutting edge.
Our operations
DRA have built an incredible capability providing unparalleled relief assistance across a full range of global disasters. We are proud of our history and accomplishments and continue to respond to recovery efforts post disaster right across Australia.
FAQs
Military veterans, emergency responders and motivated civilians join and deploy with DRA on domestic and international operations, all with a commitment to serve those in need. Please note, our volunteer positions are unpaid. We are extremely grateful for our volunteers’ time, experience and commitment to this shared cause.
From office administration to hands-on disaster clean up and recovery work, there are many options as a volunteer. By indicating your volunteering preference, we can tailor training to enhance your skills and future employment opportunities.
Volunteering on operations is both challenging and rewarding in ways you wouldn’t expect. You’ll dig deep, get dirty and work hard, yet bring hope and relief to communities in need, help people on some of their worst days, and meet likeminded volunteers with a united sense of purpose. Our volunteers say their deployments have been life-changing and incredibly fulfilling.
Deployments can be challenging work and emotionally confronting in disaster affected communities. Being physically and mentally fit for task is important, particularly if working for continuous days in austere conditions. We need to look after safety of self as we provide service to those in need.
If you are a new volunteer, you can sign up via our Expression of Interest form. If you are an existing DRA volunteer, check that your Muster profile is deployment ready, all skills and qualifications are up to date and your emergency contact details are correct. To streamline our processes a singular operational expression of interest will be current for all active operations. You will be able to select your preferred operation via this form, including length of deployment, and if you need help with your Muster profile you can let us know. To further prepare for deployment and know what to expect, all volunteers must complete the Online Core Operations Course prior via our online training portal.
Meals, barracks style accommodation and personal protective equipment (PPE); DRA transportation from designated RV zones to the forward operating base; and flights from major airports depending on the operations budget.
Taxis, ride-share, airport parking or private transport to and from designated RV zones.
As volunteers are not DRA employees, they are not covered by workers compensation. The first recourse of injury cover is Medicare and/or Department of Veterans Affairs (as relevant). Any out-of-pocket expenses not covered can then be submitted through DRAs Volunteer Insurance Policy.
Learn more about DRAs Volunteer Insurance Cover.
In accordance with the nationwide relaxation of COVID-19 vaccination mandates, DRA removed the pre-deployment requirement for volunteers to be vaccinated. Volunteers who are symptomatic will be prevented from deploying and DRA will continue to strictly enforce isolation and testing of members with symptoms during operations. DRA continues to recommend all members are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and seasonal influenza due to the proven public health and personal safety benefits. We will also monitor the public health situation and revise internal policies accordingly.
All volunteers are reminded to keep tetanus injections up to date, ideally from within the past 5 years.
If you are from outside of Australia, you can register as a DRA volunteer. However please note the following:
- International volunteers are not covered under DRA’s insurance policy and therefore must have their own insurance to deploy. You will need to provide DRA with evidence of insurance coverage prior to deployment.
- DRA will only cover travel costs from the time you are actively launched on an operation i.e. board the flight that we have arranged to access the Area of Operation (AO). We will not cover any travel costs to and from Australia.
- DRA will cover the cost of accommodation and food while in the AO but are unable to cover the cost or provide you with the personal gear necessary to deploy.
- DRA does not provide migration support, including visa applications and status.
Look for the volunteer portal login box at the top of the homepage. Enter your Muster email address as ‘Username’ (the email address you use to login to Muster). Click on ‘Forgot your password’. Wait 10 minutes (and then check your spam and/or ‘other’ inbox). After 10 tries of attempting to login you will be blocked for half an hour. If you are blocked after this time, please send a support request from the contact page.
Our membership team are contactable to provide more information and assist with your enquiry.
Phil Warton Read their storyOne of the things I really enjoy about DRA is meeting and getting to work with fantastic fellow volunteers. DRA members come from all over Australia and have varied backgrounds…We all have one thing in common and that is a desire to help others in their hour of need. I find it immensely satisfying to walk amongst people like this.
Nurse Michelle Read their storyI’ve gotten a lot of personal satisfaction out of coming in and seeing our efforts actually come to fruition and seeing families and communities start to take that step to get on the road to recovery.
Ready to become a volunteer?
Whether or not you’ve served in uniform, come join us keep communities safe, get residents back into their homes and help people rebuild their lives. With Disaster Relief and Recovery Teams in every state and territory, you can volunteer in your local area or express an interest to deploy on national and international operations.
Already on the team?
Planning for upcoming operational deployments is now underway. If you are keen to participate or find out more, express your interest today.
