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Volunteer & Youth Services
The very foundation of the American Red Cross is based on a voluntary
work force. 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.
Want to get started today? There are a few easy steps
you can take to become a volunteer!
1) Fill out this interest application,
or click on the Volunteer Now link on the left side of your screen. You can
scroll down this page to get some idea of available volunteer opportunities,
or contact the Red Cross Volunteer Office by e-mail or by calling
(318) 865-9545. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have!
2) Complete a simple, on-line Background Check.
All Red Cross employees and registered volunteers are required to undergo
background checks. (Please click here to view Frequently
Asked Questions.)
3) Start your training. To get started right away, click here
for the on-line Red
Cross Volunteer Orientation. (Just click on each individual link to
complete each section.)
You can also start your training for disaster work on-line. Click here
to take Introduction
to Disaster. (This course is a pre-requisite
for all disaster training.)
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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.
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Typical
Red Cross volunteer opportunities
The following is a list of typical Red Cross volunteer opportunities
for your consideration:
* Office of Volunteers: Volunteers assist with writing
volunteer job descriptions, setting up volunteer orientation courses, conduct
volunteer screening interviews, help with volunteer placement, recruitment,
record keeping, and recognition.
* Disaster Services: Volunteers need to respond to local
and national disasters. This is a very broad area, and inlcudes, but is
not limited to:
* Mass Feeding, either
at a stationary location (such as a shelter) or in an Emergency Response
Vehicle (ERV).
* Shelter Operations Teams
(this is includes a real need for people willing to serve as Shelter Managers).
* Health Services.
* Mental Health Services.
* Logistics.
* Caseworkers.
* Damage Assessment.
* Records and Reports.
* Foreign Language Translators
(particularly Spanish and Vietnamese).
* Warehouse Work and Truck Drivers.
* Training.
* Disaster Action Team (DAT): Volunteers need to
respond to single-family fires with a disaster action team supervisor.
* Disaster Clerical: Volunteers needed to assemble class
packets, stamp brochures, and distribute disaster safety information in
the neighborhood as necessary.
* Youth Group Liaison: Volunteers serves as liaison with
local youth groups that volunteer with the Red Cross.
* Youth Volunteers/Programs: Students
are encouraged to volunteer answering phones, doing office work, help with
mailings, working with Health Fair, preparing materials for classes and computer
data entry.
* Community Outreach: Volunteers needed
to distribute flyers and brochures and/or conduct presentations to small
groups, such as churches, civic organizations, retirement homes, to encourage
volunteerism, emergency preparedness and support of the Red Cross.
* Health and Safety Instructor: Volunteers needed to teach
community as well as preschool and elementary school classes in CPR, First
Aid, water safety, aquatics and other youth safety presentations.
* First Aid Team: Volunteers are needed to help staff special
events throughout the year. Advanced medical training is helpful but not
required. Advanced Red Cross First Aid and CPR skills are necessary. Training
is available.
* Armed Forces Caseworker: Volunteers work with local members
of the military and their families ensuring the delivery of emergency communications.
Armed Forces volunteers could also serve as liasons to Barksdale Air Force
Base, Fort Humbug and military families in our area.
* International Services: Volunteers set up and conduct
classes on International Humanitarian Law or assist in international tracing
for persons living overseas, in war-torn countries, who are looking for family
members thought to living in our community.
* Grant Researching/Writing: Volunteers needed to assist
and work with the Fund Development Director in writing grants, etc.
* Pinch-Hitter Volunteer: Volunteers available to help
with unanticipated or irregular tasks as they arrive.
* Clerical: Volunteers need to assist with bulk mailing
(newsletters, Health Fairs), filing, answering phones, computer input, organizing
and inventory etc.
* Maintenance: Volunteers needed to help with routine maintenance
duties. This could include lawn care, cleaning manikins, vehicle maintenance,
working at the warehouse, etc..
* Friendly Visitor Program: Volunteers provide the gift
of friendly visits to places such as the VA Hospital.
* Special Projects/ Special Events: Volunteers needed
to assist with various duties for fundraising and special events.
These
include the quarterly Health Fairs and the annual fundraiser Culinary Classic.
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Youth
and Red Cross Clubs
Youth and teens have always been special to the American Red Cross.
Since the founding of the Junior Red Cross in 1917, youth and the Red Cross
have been partners. Today, the involvement of youth and teens with the
Red Cross is even more important than ever and has become a special focus
of the volunteer recruitment effort. And these young adults are rising to
the challenge -- people up to age 25 comprise a third of the Red Cross
volunteer work force.
One way of reaching this group is through the Red Cross Club. The Red Cross
Club is a service-centered club in schools around the area. Red Cross Club
members are trained in Disaster Services and certified in CPR and First Aid.
They also have opportunities to explore many other areas of interest. Some
of these young people may become Peer Educators in everything from Water Safety
to First Aid. Others may work in Armed Forces Emergency Services, working
with American service men and women. Other experiences may include leadership
development activities -- such as serving on a local board -- or simple community
service (cleaning up a street, planting trees or visiting the elderly.) The
opportunities are endless and the rewards are amazing!
If you would like to find out about the Red Cross Club nearest
you, or if you would like to get one started in your area, simply call us
at (318) 865-9545.
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The Red Cross is about so much more than just work, work,
work! We like to think of ourselves as one big family! And that means playing
together just as hard as we work together. Whether marching in a Mardi
Gras parade, eating crawfish at a group picnic or being the next victim
in a dunking booth, our volunteers are encouraged to have fun and to be
themselves. We would love to add you to our family. Please, Volunteer today!
If you have any questions, please call
our Volunteer Department at (318) 865-9545.
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