Volunteering
Be part of something truly rewarding
When disaster or emergency strikes, our Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) teams support communities at their point of need. You’ll find our volunteers providing meals and refreshments to first responders and evacuees, distributing bedding and material needs for displaced community members, and holding a listening ear for those who have experienced the disaster firsthand.
Our SAES teams rely on volunteers and are always looking for new recruits. If you want to help, we ask that you sign up to volunteer before a disaster occurs. This helps us to ensure we have skilled, prepared and trained volunteers ready to go in the event of an emergency or disaster.
In the past three years alone, SAES teams have distributed over 390,000 meals and refreshments and supported over 80,000 people, all of which wouldn’t have been possible without the 51,000 volunteer hours completed by over 8,500 incredible volunteers. To learn more about the emergency and disasters events we have assisted in, visit Our impact.
"Being a volunteer for The Salvation Army Emergency Services not only makes a huge difference for people doing it tough in a disaster, it is also extremely rewarding," says Daryl Crowden, General Manager of SAES. “It gives people the opportunity to give back at a time when communities are shattered, often unexpectedly. When people see The Salvation Army, they see a place of friendship and hope, and that is what you are able to bring to people as a volunteer with us.”
SAES volunteer teams
Response
SAES Response teams are often the first responders following a disaster. They support disaster-affected communities and first responders with refreshments, meals, rest areas, material and financial aid, and someone to talk to. Outside of emergency and disaster events, our Response teams are also involved in community activities and a number of services throughout the year.
Recovery
SAES Recovery teams provide services after an activated disaster event. Often located in Recovery hubs, our volunteers can support disaster affected community members through providing financial assistance, material aid, personal support, Chaplaincy services, financial counselling and casework. Our Recovery volunteers have experience and skills in working directly with vulnerable people, and walk with disaster affected communities throughout their journey of recovery.
All SAES volunteers are required to complete a police check, foundational training plus (where appropriate) role-specific training. They are also required to comply with appropriate state or territory integrity compliance regulations. Our team will help you navigate the relevant requirements for your situation.
How to volunteer with us
- Sign up early – Submit an expression of interest (must include relevant skills and experience) by filling out this form.
- Application review - we will be in touch to discuss your application and next steps. All volunteers are required to submit references and undergo a police check.
- Induction Training – complete our online training modules and/or attend a face-to-face training session (depending on the role and State/Territory you have applied in).
- Get involved – once trained and cleared, you will be added to our volunteer database and contacted when your help is needed for emergency and disasters. We also have a number of non-emergency volunteer engagement opportunities throughout the year, including training, community events and other non emergency events.
Employee application
Please note - if you are already a Salvation Army employee or officer, please apply through Workday and visit our toolkit on Salvos Central here for the correct application link and more information.
