Community Response to Extreme Weather (CREW)

CREW was formed in November 2008 in response to the need for a principal registration program following the devastating Brisbane storms.

The CREW program is envisaged as a combination of community capacity building and inter-agency collaboration. Volunteering Queensland works closely with all leading agencies involved in disaster management in order to ensure the best interaction between agencies and volunteers working on a key social agenda.

Key components of CREW

An Emergency Response Volunteer Register;
Volunteer Referral (volunteer job matching);
Volunteer Management Policy and Practice Advice;
Emergency Volunteering Sponsorship (Individual and Corporate levels); and
CREW volunteer team participation at Volunteering Queensland.

Emergency Response Volunteer Register

What is it?

The Emergency Response Volunteer Register contains a list of all people who express interest in being deployed as volunteers during a natural disaster. If you are interested in participating in short-term ‘spontaneous’ volunteer positions for disaster management agencies you can call Volunteering Queensland or register on this website to volunteer your services.

How does it work?

Any registered volunteers will be contacted by a CREW member to complete an initial assessment that determines your availability, your skill set, and your interest in spontaneous volunteering. Your volunteer profile will then be compared to the wants and needs of key disaster management agencies and matched accordingly.

Who benefits from it?

CREW aims to facilitate the placement of volunteers from our register with key disaster management agencies. These lead agencies can contact CREW to arrange for the deployment of registered spontaneous volunteers. The register is also a valuable resource that reduces telephone traffic congestion during very busy periods.

CREW:

offers an opportunity for people to link up with not-for-profit agencies active in response and recovery;
provides information on programs and the profile of agencies;
refers potential volunteers to appropriate contacts to ensure a smooth induction.