Volunteer

One of the ways we are able to keep our costs down and deliver aid more efficiently is by using volunteers to assemble aid here in Canada. Most of the time, we pack aid in our warehouses in Etobicoke and Oakville, but occasionally we will hold events at other locations around the GTA and even in other cities across Canada. Volunteers will usually either be assembling Family Emergency Kits or Emergency Food Kits, but sometimes we will ask for help with local deliveries, manning booths at conferences, and other assorted tasks. The duties at events vary; you could be pouring a scoop of lentils into a funnel, packaging recycled soap, taping boxes, or stickering bags! There is something to do for everyone, and it is a great opportunity to come out and meet people, work hard for a few hours, and do some good.

Please note that our facilities are warehouses, so they may be a bit cold in winter and a bit hot in summer so dress appropriately and wear comfortable, close-toed shoes. We can accommodate volunteers with mobility restrictions, including wheelchairs. Our events are not recommended for children under 10, and children under 14 need adult supervision. All volunteers need to abide by our Volunteer Code of Conduct in order to participate.

If you are interested in signing up, please sign up here to become a Registered Volunteer. You will then be able to see all upcoming opportunities and schedule yourself in for a shift! 

The second way to volunteer with GlobalMedic is to join our Rapid Response Team (RRT). These are the volunteers that activate on short notice and deploy overseas whenever large-scale disasters and emergencies occur. They physically deliver our aid, work with our local partners, and act as oversight to make sure our aid is being delivered to the people who need it most. While a lot of our RRT members are first responders from Canada’s 911 system, we can always use other people with specialty skill sets.

Mandatory Qualifications:

• At least 18 yrs old
• Must possess a valid passport and not be prohibited from international travel (no criminal record, etc)
• Must have, or be able to get, necessary vaccinations (i.e. Yellow Fever needed to enter certain countries, COVID-19 vaccine mandatory to travel)
• Be located in Canada
• Be physically capable of working for long hours in warm climates
• Be comfortable working in harsh conditions (i.e. no power, no running water, foreign food, foreign language, different culture and customs, etc)
• Be able to commit 3 weeks at a time for deployments
• Have a great attitude, strong work ethic, and work well in stressful situations
• Be able to work well with a team and in close quarters
• Have successfully completed the online training courses 
• Have successfully completed GlobalMedic’s Rapid Response Team Training

Preferred Qualifications:

• Have a basic First Aid certificate
• Be able to volunteer for local events
• Have a specialized skill (emergency worker, carpentry, water engineer, project management, photography/videography, etc)
• Be able to deploy with 48 hrs notice
• Basic MS Office skills

In order to join the RRT you must first be signed up as a Registered Volunteer. Then, there are two additional requirements which can be completed in any order. You must complete the online training courses. This takes about 20-25 hours. You must also complete an in-person training day with GlobalMedic. These are held once a year in Toronto and are announced to our Registered Volunteers.

If you are interested in joining the RRT, please sign up as a Volunteer, and click the box at the bottom that says “I wish to receive information about volunteering abroad and joining the Rapid Response Team”. Please visit our FAQ for more information.

The RescUAV Team is our specialized team that deploys nationally and internationally and uses UAVs to collect imagery and data in disaster situations. There are two levels of commitment for joining the program: Pilots and Support crew. Support members include Visual Observers as well as Ground and Data crew. Pilots do all of that, plus operate the drones and plan missions. All are important roles, but the pilot program requires a much larger commitment of time. All volunteers will be exposed to multiple UAV platforms and will learn skills necessary to be a pilot, observer, data management crew, and support crew. All RescUAV team members have the potential for deployment abroad.

Mandatory Qualifications for all Volunteers to join the RescUAV Team:

• At least 18 yrs old
• Must possess a valid passport and not be prohibited from international travel (no criminal record, etc)
• Must have, or be able to get, necessary vaccinations (i.e. Yellow Fever needed to enter certain countries, COVID-19 vaccine mandatory to travel)
• Be available for regular participation in training and international deployments
• Be willing to commit to introductory training sessions. This will be equivalent to 1 evening for Visual Observers (about 3 hours) and further classroom sessions (12-16 hours) more for pilots and support crew, as well as practical flying training, testing, and practice days
• Must have 20/20 (with correction is acceptable) and normal colour vision (not “colour blind”)
• Must have normal hearing acuity
• Be physically capable of carrying 30lbs of equipment unaided, and walking/hiking for moderate distances
• Be able to commit no less than 2 years of participation in the program

Pilots must also:

• Be a certified RPAS pilot with Transport Canada licence
• Be willing to commit to minimum of 1 evening and 1 day per month for training and flight practice. This is over and above the intro training of 18 hours + flight training

Preferred Qualifications:

• Have a Ground School certificate from a recognized training centre
• Have basic first aid certification
• Be a trained Rapid Response Team member
• Experience with flying UAVs
• Live within driving distance of GTA

If you are interested in becoming a RescUAV member please email us at [email protected] and include your UAV experience, certifications (Pilot, Ground School, etc), and availability to attend local trainings and deploy internationally.