The Eastern Emergency Relief Network Inc ( EERN ) is currently operated by a wholly voluntary workforce including the Committee of Management.
EERN operates with around 70 volunteers but is always looking for new people who want to offer their time to assist those in greater need.
Volunteers are unpaid, not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS.
Volunteers can undertake a variety of roles within EERN from being a driver of either our collection truck or van or being the driver’s assistant – “a jockey”, working in the warehouse including providing assistance to member agencies, their case workers and their clients, answering the telephone, sorting donated household items or doing minor maintenance/repair work, where necessary on furniture.
Specialist volunteers also conduct whitegoods and appliance testing, electrical checking and tagging in accordance with Australian Standards requirements. Volunteers also serve on the management committee and the other sub-committees that are in place, such as Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), grant submission writing, as well as performing public relations outreach activities.
Most volunteers attend one morning per week to enable us to provide our much-needed service to the more vulnerable members of our community. If you have the time and want to make an invaluable contribution to our local community, volunteering with EERN is a rewarding way to be involved.
For further information about the many ways you can volunteer and the roles available, please contact us on 9874 8433 or email: treasurer@easternemergency.org.au.
Our volunteer team roles include:
Daily Warehouse Coordinators – These supervisory roles are to generally assist agency members / case workers and their clients, allocation of duties, and to maintain both the roster and the equipment. It is a vital role as it is our main interface with the public and crucial for the efficient running of the warehouse.
Office Assistant/schedulers – The basic task of the office assistant is to respond to telephone, personal and email enquiries from the public regarding offers of donated goods – and arranging booking times for the collection of these items. Engaging volunteers, rostering and providing basic training in processes.
Drivers / Driver’s Assistants – As the name suggests, the role of these teams is to collect goods donated by the public and deliver it to our warehouse. No special driver’s licence is required.
Sorting crew – This important team of people has the task of sorting the great variety of goods received each day, apart from furniture & electrical goods. In addition, they have a role to play in assisting agency members / case workers and their clients in the selection of linen, kitchenware etc.
Pantry crew – Purchasing and sorting donated food items, packing emergency food and toiletries packs.
Warehouse crew – The role of these volunteers is to help with loading and unloading of goods, maintaining the tidiness of the warehouse, minor repairs, supervision of agency members / case workers and their clients when visiting, and generally acting as the Warehouse Co-ordinator’s offsider in ensuring the smooth running of the warehouse on a day-to-day basis.
Specialist volunteers – These include whitegoods service people and qualified electrical testers. No whitegoods or other electrical appliances are available to clients until they have been checked, tagged and passed in accordance with Australian Standards as acceptable for the end user.
IT support – Volunteers with hands-on experience of maintaining basic computer networks and software and/or have experience in simple software systems that could improve EERN implementation and make life easier for our volunteers would be much appreciated.
Fund raising – as EERN has no recurrent funding sources, EERN has to identify and then pitch to possible funding agencies or respond to invitations to apply for grants from a number of possible providers. Volunteers with experience in fund raising or who like the challenge of developing and implementing innovative fundraising approaches will be highly valued.
Publicity / communications with our stakeholders – With 70 volunteers, more than 100 Member agencies and a range of supporters, EERN needs to be regularly interacting with these stakeholders. In addition to maintaining this website and newsletters, EERN is looking for volunteers with skills in developing social media material, updating our social media and website material, producing interesting newsletters and representing EERN in presentations to potential funding groups. New ideas and approaches are always needed.
easternemergency.org.au 