Volunteer

Volunteer & Youth Services The American Red Cross Depends on Volunteers The very foundation of the American Red Cross is based on a voluntary work force. Volunteers constitute 96 percent of our total work force to carry on our humanitarian work. Today nearly 1.2 million people volunteer with the Red Cross nationwide with the ratio of Red Cross volunteers to paid staff approximately 41 to 1. The American Red Cross tries to attract, involve and develop a volunteer work force with diverse skills, interests and abilities so that the American Red Cross continues to provide effective services that are responsive to the changing need of the American public.   Get started today! There are a few easy steps you can take to become a volunteer! 1) Fill out an interest application. You can click on Typical Red Cross volunteer opportunities to get some ideas, or contact the Red Cross Volunteer Office by e-mail or by calling us at (318) 865-9545. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have! 2) Start your training. If you are going to be a Red Cross volunteer, you can begin learning about the organization right now: * Go through the Online Orientation that will provide an overview of the work that our volunteers do. (Just click on each individual link to complete each section.) * View the Introduction to Disaster Services video that shows you some of the work disaster volunteers perform on site and behind the scenes. (This is a pre-requisite for all disaster training.) The American Red Cross works hard at matching knowledge, skills, interests and experience of individual s with opportunities to serve their community.   As the largest humanitarian organization in the United States, the Red Cross depends on volunteers to accomplish the organization s mission: providing relief to victims of disaster and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. The Red Cross provides training for most volunteer positions; the level of training varies according to the requirements of the position.    Volunteers - serve at all levels of the Red Cross, including: Governance - The Board of Governors at Red Cross National Headquarters and the local Board of Directors.   Management - Coordinators of services, leaders of youth councils, supervisors of disaster operations, volunteer coordinators and members of state service councils.   Direct Service - Disaster Relief assistance, Armed Forces Emergency Services casework, health & safety instructors, administrative support services. Typical Red Cross volunteer opportunities