Volunteering
In the UK
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) seeks volunteer administrators to work in our London office for a few hours several times a week to support members of staff in our donations, finance and appeals departments. Volunteers should be able to commit themselves for a period of at least three months.
This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience within the charity sector and learn about the administrative side of our work.
Computer skills are essential, as are good organisational skills. Any previous administrative or charity sector experience would also be useful. Travel expenses within London will be reimbursed and a contribution given towards lunch costs.
To apply please download the Volunteer Application Form (PDF) and return the completed form to:
DEC Volunteer Placements
Disasters Emergency Committee
1st Floor, 43 Chalton Street
London NW1 1DU
Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, it may take us some time to review your application. However, all applications will be acknowledged within a two-week period.
Overseas
The DEC does not itself engage overseas volunteers, even in emergency situations. However, listed below are several UK-based organisations specialising in sending skilled volunteers to work on long-term assignments in developing countries.
REDR
RedR is currently responding to assignment requests from disaster-affected regions such as Palestine, Afghanistan and southern Africa. Their members, many of whom are engineers, play a vital role in the much-needed aid programme.
VSO
VSO is an international development charity that works using volunteers. Experienced professionals share their skills with local colleagues in some of the world's poorest communities, working together to find realistic solutions to the problems they face.
AlertNet's Jobs Page
AlertNet provides global news, communications and logistics services to the international disaster relief community and the public. Reuters' 150 years' experience reporting from disaster zones around the world allows AlertNet to give disaster relief organisations fast, reliable information.
ReliefWeb: Humanitarian Vacancies
ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
World Service Enquiry
Information and advice about working or volunteering overseas in the developing world