(Note: The following post was written for organizations that recruit and manage volunteer disaster relief workers. If you would like to volunteer, visit www.volunteermatch.org.)
The urgent stories coming from Haiti are having an impact: Visits from volunteers who want to get involved in the Haitian relief effort helped make last week the busiest at VolunteerMatch.org in nearly five years.
For organizations that do disaster preparedness and relief work, the days and weeks following major disasters are critical times. As the crisis in Haiti shows, the need for independent sector organizations to work with affected governments to save lives, care for the sick, house the homeless, and help lead the long haul toward recovery is massive. If you work with one of the hundreds of other emergency response and recovery organizations in our network, there is no better time to demonstrate the importance of getting involved than right now.
Here are a few tips for making the most of VolunteerMatch for organizations that are involved in disaster preparation:
Update your opportunities to make them discoverable and relevant right now.
Use keywords like “Haiti” and “disaster” to make sure your listings are coming up in important searches.
Emphasize the importance of training as a stepping stone.
Many prospective volunteers aren’t aware how important is to be trained. A message such as “This training is an important step to being deployed during future crisis.”
Remind volunteers that most emergencies are local.
Few communities are completely spared of disasters. If your focus is one local emergency response and recovery, you can use Haiti (or any international disaster) to remind prospective trainees that getting preparedness training in areas like trauma treatment, rescue, coordinated response, and many other important skills are important for helping out in our own backyards.
Use your tools.
Within your VolunteerMatch account are some important tools that can help you save time and recruit more effectively – two things that are even more important before and after emergencies:
- Email All allows you to send email communications to everyone who has ever referred to your opportunities. Even if referrals never became official volunteers, during an emergency you may want to activate those folks as a network for getting things done.
- The Syndication Tool lets you avoid duplicate data entry while keeping your own Web site updated with VolunteerMatch listings. Use the tool to create a code snippet you can give your Web master. Once it’s in place on your Web site, your VolunteerMatch listings will automatically show there.
- Custom Questions lets you prescreen referrals with questions of your choice. If a referral requires specific skills, ability, or experience, you can ask those questions up front.
- Document Manager lets you automatically attach important forms, waivers, or training materials to your emails to prospective referrals.
- If you have active social networks, use the Social Media icons at the end of the listing process to easily send out links to your VolunteerMatch listings.
(Note: Some of these tools come with our free Basic account; some require a Community Leader account ($8.95/month). Click here to see the different account features.)
The list above is just the start of how nonprofits can use their VolunteerMatch account more effectively to engage disaster and emergency volunteers. We’d also love to hear your ideas for how to do this.
(Photo credit: Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I want to know if a person that has no experience on nursing can assist to help the nurses and doctors like providing their tools and materials for work. I have no skill and I want to show humaniterian feeling that I have for the people of Haiti. I will be bole that everyday I am on my need in prayer with God for the rest of the people that survived from the disaster. My advice to the survival is they accept God and notice that its God that had saved them and they are not better than the others that died.
Here is a very practical way anyone can help. Bring children home to a loving family. I know there has been some negative press about adopting Haitian orphans but, these children were in the process before the disaster, they have been match with a loving family in Nebraska and they are working with accredited agencies with impeccable reputations in the field. You can learn more and support their journey by visiting https://www.giftofadoption.org/fundagrant.html.
Thank you.
I am a Pharmacy technician and would love to volunteer in Haiti over the summer if that possision would be of assistance.
Seeking mission-minded providers in multiple medical, infrastructure, logistics and technology specialties for immediate and future deployments. Click to apply: http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp639676.jsp
At this time, only volunteers with a specialized professional background need apply; other opportunities may open up in the future. Please do not apply unless you meet that requirement.
Here is a link to a place that needs volunteers to go to Haiti soon~
http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp281082.jsp
i am looking to Volunteer to help in Haiti and can pay my own way .would like to volunteer full time with orphans. But I also do fork lift op construction welding concrete forms disaster clean up
Computer tech electrical heavy mechanic helper
Landscaping
shots up to date
Pass port
Abel to be there for month of march 1 for as long as needed
Presently i am experienced internationally and regionally in security administration and emergency management and emergency response. I am a lecturer in those fields of discipline and I can be of assistance in any disaster planning and preparedness sponsored programmes that Haiti may need to start.
Hello, I am a licensed nurses assistant. While I don’t yet have my certification in human phlebotomy, I have many years of experience in venipuncture as a veterinary technician and wildlife biologist. I don’t have an organization to sign up with to volunteer with in Haiti, but am called to do so somehow. Please contact me to let me know how I can help there.
I am a mother of four children,I have no formal training in disaster relief,but i feel with that my kids have given me enough experience to take on whatever is needed in Haiti.I would like to help in anyway i can.I can clean, cook,organize and at the same time, dress a child and read and comfort another.I feel that even holding someone’s hand or getting them to a safe place is very important.Please contact me and I will be ready,willing and very able to help……
Thank You
hello everyone ,,,,
Please post contact information promenetly ,,,, the links are not working ,,,, we are still recruiting medical professionls for a feb first departure ,,,,,, please contact me at 603-865-7465 home ,,,,,, 860-372-8912 cell ,,,,,, or email reverend.roger@yahoo.com ,,,,,, thank you ,,,,, we are still seeking people to send care packages to us with medical supplies ,,,,, bandages , over the counter drugs, disinfectants, anything that should be in an emt’s bag ,,,, we will burn through our carry on in short order ,,,,, ups and fed ex should be back online in a week or so ,,,, any help is needed ,,,,,
rev.roger
I would like to volunteer to help in Haiti. I have plenty of hands on experience taking care of the emotional, sick and injured. Please contact me. I am available for as long as need be.
I have been trying to get training in the emergency response and disaster relief courses,but am not having any luck.I love helping people very much.I would love to volunteer my skills and time,also find training in this field to build a career.I have been interested in this for a long time,and now i am taking the first steps.
I am a semi-retired surgeon and want to volunteer my medical services for the Haitian people.
I have care for the elder as a STNA, HHA, not working at the present time and I would be honored to help in anyway possible with Haiti disaster, please contact me if there is anything that I can do..
I am a mother of three. I have volunteered at Hospice, daycares and I work in Real Estate and construction for 9 years. I am currently going to school to be a nurse. I would do anything just to be able to help the people of Haiti. Please let me know how I could volunteer. Thank you
let me know how i can help,i’m in the medical field,i also have a large house.
haitian background. can speak cerole
If it would or could be of any assistance, I am a National Registered,state certified and licensed Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic and Firefighter,also a active member and Lieutenant and state registered member of my local Emergency Rescue Squad through TARS.Have many multiple trainings,certifications, and education of medical,rescue,emergency preparedness&response,fire suppression,disaster management&response,NIMS(National Incident Management System),FEMA(Federal Emergency Management Agency),ect.Havent had much luck finding any oppurtunities to help but very interested to.
I am thirty years old.I would like to be part of the relief efforts going to Haiti.I am a professional painter and licensed massage therapist.I have many years of experiece working with children and mentaly challenged adults.I am a quick learner and can help .
I am 54 and a semi-retired general and vascular surgeon with trauma and emergency medicine experience. I am available immediately. I am somewhat frustrated in that I have read about the urgent need for surgeons and yet, despite me offering my services on several web sites, including Partners in Health and other organizations, I have not even been contacted about my interest or skills.
I am a nurse practitioner and nurse midwife with strong skills in pediatrics, OB/GYN, wound care and geriatrics. I am currently not working and would love to help the people in Haiti. Please contact me ASAP.
Thank You
i am retired and ony 52 with a commercal pilots license and many orgaizational skills… i am lookin to help please contact
We would like to open our home and/or volunteer our services to the clean up/search and rescue in Haiti. Also open our home some of the orphans (children) from Haiti until a permanent home can be setup for them. If this is possible. Please e-mail us to let us know the next step to take.
Thank you
The Calhouns
Atlanta Georgia
please i would like to open my home to help a family from haiti please let me know if tha is posible. 321-299-7687
Hi, I am seeking employment with any disaster relief organization currently involved with aiding the Haiti people. I am outgoing, helpful, and willing to give my all to any organization needing people. I will work in any weather. Please contact me soon. Thank you.
I’have been trying for four days to volunteer to help in Haiti. Unsuccessful thus far. I am retired. I have no medical or construction skills, but have a strong back and am certain there are many ways I can help.