Region : Across Canada
Volunteer opportunity conditions:
- Location: While some tasks will be completed from your home office, this is primarily a field-based position.
- Minimum age: 18 years old and over
- Specific requirements:
- Complete EM101 training in first 6 weeks
- Participate in virtual one day orientation
- Approximately 5 hours/month, virtual tasks.
- Commitment to 2-4 weeks of in person deployment across Canada / year.
- Able to deploy on short notice.
The Canadian Red Cross (Red Cross) – an inspirational not for profit organization, helps people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supports them in strengthening their resilience. We are committed to having an accessible, diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free working environment.
The Communications team plays a pivotal role during emergencies, sharing critical information and engaging with impacted people in the field and through media and social media.
The Canadian Red Cross is seeking experienced communications volunteers to deploy to the field during emergencies and provide on-site support for emergency response operations, crisis management, content gathering, high-level field visits, communications training and media relations, as required.
When you apply to this volunteer position, you are not applying for a specific job, rather you are applying for a position on the team, to be called upon for future emergency deployments.
You must be ready and available to deploy within Canada on short notice, to provide strategic communications expertise in areas affected by emergencies. Candidates are expected to provide two to four weeks of availability per year, and deployments can be anywhere from two to four weeks. You will be expected to work under pressure and tight deadlines, with competing priorities and as part of multi-cultural team.
As a volunteer in this role, you will:
Provide in person communications support to the operation:
- Provide communications support to and coordinate with other deployed personnel in the field.
- Ensure field personnel have access to updated messaging.
- Provide input for updates to messaging for dedicated response web page and other communications products.
- Coordinate with communications leads to create and share information with people impacted on Red Cross operations and services.
Inform and execute the communication strategy for the response.
- With guidance from and in collaboration with the English and French media teams:
- engage with media in the field;
- provide on-site support for news conferences and events;
- act as the Red Cross spokesperson or identify and prepare another appropriate spokesperson;
- Anticipate, identify and flag potential reputational issues. Liaise with Red Cross partners and stakeholders at the local level to coordinate communications efforts and attend community meetings as needed.
- Provide communications support to media, government officials, and representatives of the Canadian Red Cross in the field. Plan and accompany field visits as needed.
Use your first-person experiences to tell CRC stories
- Following ethical storytelling guidelines, interview people impacted and local volunteers and staff to provide written and visual documentation of the Canadian Red Cross’ work, for a variety of communications products and platforms (blogs, social media content, donor reports, video updates).
- Gather content (photos, videos etc.) and coordinate deliverables on timelines outlined in the terms of reference.
- Work with the digital and English and French media teams to promote, where appropriate, the visibility of the Canadian Red Cross, its operations, as well as provide visibility and recognition for government support as required.
You bring these essential talents:
- Ideally you have completed formal education in public relations, media relations, communications, or a related field, or you are able to demonstrate equivalent experience working in this field.
- Demonstrated video and photography skills
- Demonstrated experience with Canadian Press (CP) style.
- A high level of comfort with technology and a high level of computing ability, including working with digital media applications. Familiarity with Mac OS and Apple iOS hardware and software, and Microsoft Suite, is essential.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to perform to professional communication standards.
- Proven ability to adapt to changing circumstances and make decisions in a fast-paced environment.
- Proven ability to think strategically with strong analytic skills and technical knowledge, displaying good judgment and a strong operational focus.
- An interest in Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and a commitment to the Fundamental Principles.
- Fluent in English. French language skills would be an asset.
Volunteering Conditions:
- Working in an operation can be very demanding, both physically and psychologically. Difficult working conditions are expected, and may include the following:
- Issues of access and mobility due to the dynamic nature of an emergency situation and proximity to disaster-affected area.
- Long hours of work in a demanding context with limited resources.
- The ability to work in a high risk, fluid and evolving situation may be required, as is the ability to work in stressful and often ambiguous conditions.
- Basic living conditions which may include limited internet access and shared rooms with other Canadian Red Cross personnel of the same gender.
- The Canadian Red Cross supports a safe working environment and comfortable accommodation; however, as in all contexts, volunteers must be aware and responsible for their personal safety and that of employees under their supervision.
A satisfactory Enhanced Police Information Check or equivalent is mandatory for all personnel volunteering or working with the Red Cross.
