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Disaster Welfare and Support Team volunteer

Directly serve people in need
Help people prepare for disasters and to get through when an emergency or disaster happens.
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Home Disaster Welfare and Support Team volunteer

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us! Please note that all our offices will be closed from 5pm on Friday, 20 December, and will reopen on Monday morning, 6 January 2025. During this time, there may be delays in processing applications. We look forward to welcoming you as soon as possible after reopening.

Note: This role is not available in all locations. Filter by location. If you cannot see your location listed try searching for something different.
This role is urgently needed in your area

Role description

Support your community before and during an emergency. Join your local Disaster Welfare and Support Team.

Your tasks

You could be deployed to assist in a flood, fire or other large-scale emergencies, and you’ll help with a range of activities that could include:

  • Setting up and providing support in evacuation centres
  • Undertaking needs assessments to understand what support people need
  • Providing psychosocial support

We have 20 teams around the country that are prepared to help in their communities or in neighbouring regions at short notice. Teams are listed by their regular training location.

Support your community during an emergency. Join your local Disaster Welfare and Support Team (DWST) and help people prepare for disasters and to get through when an emergency or disaster happens.

Volunteer requirements and training

You’ll receive training in comprehensive first aid, psychological first aid, welfare support, and other essential skills for the role. Our teams train regularly and sometimes take part in scenario-based exercises with other response teams.

We need you to be physically fit, a good communicator and able to commit to your team for at least 12 months – some of our volunteers have been with us for more than 20 years.

Meet new people, gain a range of new skills and be there for your community. Apply to be a disaster welfare support volunteer now.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW)

  • Make sure your actions (or lack of actions) don’t harm your health, safety and wellbeing, or harm anyone else.
  • Take part in a HSW induction, training, programmes and activities.
  • Follow all instructions given to you about health, safety and wellbeing
  • Follow all NZRC HSW policies, standards and procedures about health, safety and wellbeing.
  • Make sure you have the right training for any activities you are doing.
  • Use personal protective equipment (PPE) for any work activities that may need it to stay safe.
  • If you spot a hazard, or you are involved in an incident or near miss, report this straight away.
Commitment required
Ongoing
Shift duration
12 hours
Shift time
Evening, Variable
Min age
16 years
Training
Ongoing
Vetting
  • New Zealand Police - support services (child/youth)
Requirements
  • Two referees for character checks
Apply for this role
To activate the apply button, use the filters above to select a region and location
If you have questions about this role:
Contact us
0800 Red Cross (0800 733 27677)

3 February 2022

Meet DWST Volunteer Kendra Roddis

Our Disaster Welfare and Support Teams (DWST) respond to emergencies throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Comprising 19 teams of highly committed, multi-skilled volunteers, DWST provides welfare support and psychological first aid to people impacted by disaster – which can be anything from earthquakes, floods and fires, to terrorist attacks.

Read more

A woman looking into the camera.

"I volunteered because I think DWST play a crucial role in disaster recovery. In an emergency DWST principally provides psychosocial support, which I think is an essential part of the recovery process for people – just as important as food and shelter".

Kendra Roddis, disaster welfare support volunteer

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