When we arrived in Darwin nearly 12 weeks ago I looked up govolunteer.com.au to do some volunteering, as we planned to be here nearly 3 months. The only thing that looked suitable was with the red cross, so sent off an 'application', telling them my situation and experience (IT background). 3 weeks later, someone contacted me and I went in for an interview and to fill in the forms. I told the bloke that I had volunteered over Summer in Albany WA and they had done a police check, but he wasn't interested in contacting Albany for the police check and said the red cross would organise another one.
Another couple of weeks went by, I sent an email asking what was going on and was told the police check was still pending. Finally, another week later, got a phone call to say the police check was back, they were really keen to have me help, and I would get a phone call the next day. 3 days later I sent another email querying what was going on, they assured me that they were really keen to have my help and I would get a phone call the next day. 2 weeks ago I got a letter welcoming me to the red cross 'volunteer family', saying how much they appreciated me giving up my time and enclosing my official volunteers badge.
Yesterday I got a phone call from Tess at the Red Cross, she understands I am available for volunteer work. I burst out laughing, we leave Darwin on Friday, so no, I am no longer available. What a joke, no wonder they say that NT stands for Not Today, Not Tomorrow, Not Tuesday, Not Thursday. Things are pretty grim when you can't even GIVE your labour away!
Well at least you can say you tried, but what a joke. Will make others think before even offering. You certainly put a lot more effort into it than they ever did.
Just reading this I was thinking (yes again) a good stand alone topic would be to pass info on regards volunteering. A lot of places offer sites in return for a bit of work ie The transport hall of fame and ghan museum in Alice Springs. What do you reckon?
Can you use the credentials you gathered in Darwin anywhere else? Is the Police clearance relevant for a year to save your going through that again? When I worked at the Broome Hospital admin everyone had Federal Polic clearance but it was only relevant to that job. Red tape is everywhere. While it's very worthwhile to volunteer, there is just as much paper work as there is for a paid job. Too many loose canons out there. Now that you're in, you could try another Red Cross.
__________________
20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
That was a bit sad John & Wendy, I know they are always understaffed and maybe they didn't have the staff to process your app promptly (make that not promptly). My DIL works for the Red Cross and my wife works in the office once a week as a vollie, their work load is tremendous and vollies are always needed in many different areas.
I would contact their Head Office in Oz and explain how they are missing out, as an organisation they do a fantastic job, it may help them improve volunteer processing in future. Like CG says, it might clear the way for you with the Red Cross at the next town you visit. Bear in mind they have op shops too if you don't mind working in them.
__________________
Vic
Hi Ace Pop Top Campervan & A'Van A'Lite Camper Trailer.....
Khalil Gibran says "We tarry forward - not backward".
Spread the laughter Share the cheer Let's be happy While we're here.
Not sure what the story is with the police check, I haven't been given anything like an identifier that I could use with anyone else to show I already have one. When I contacted Albany before going to the red cross they said that if anyone contacted them they (the Albany volunteer organisation) would be happy to say that I had already had a check done, but they wouldn't give me anything to show anyone else. Presumably same with the red cross, they don't give me anything to say they have had the check run on me, so if I go anywhere else at the next long stop presumably they also will have to go through the whole thing again. Seems like a terrible waste of charity organisations' resources.
I always thought with a police check you carry a card so you can work in any of the situations its needed for. Maybe go and get your own and carry it with you might be a good idea.
I payed for my own police check so get to keep the orignal document and supply photocopies. The place I am working now also reibursed the cost of it. Depends on the place you work to how current it needs to be, some are up to 5 years, where I am now it had to be current in the last 3 years. I also have a white card/blue card which dosnt have to be renewed and is valid in all states cheers blaze
Sorry to hear about help not being able to be given! This might be a case where organising the volunteering before you go means that you will definitely be able to get involved and help out, companies like this one http://www.inspiredbreaks.co.uk/Voluntary-work-abroad have loads of volunteer projects for older travellers that you can help with!
We have been doing volunteering work on & off over the past 10 years with National Parks both in NT & in WA. WA especially has a very good volunteer system for their National Parks. We never used to need a police check but they now do but we couldn't get one in WA as we didn't have a permanent WA address. We still did the volunteer work as DEC decided to just put our police check down as "pending" We did all of Jan & Feb at Contos campground near Margaret River
