The Volunteer Leadership Program (VLP) equips emergency sector volunteers with the skills and confidence to grow as leaders. The VLP experience is immersive and collaborative, bringing together volunteers from different organisations and agencies to build knowledge and share experiences with each other.
The program explores practical leadership frameworks through interactive learning, and participants gain both self-awareness and an enhanced ability to understand and contribute to their organisations.
The program explores leadership and management strategies in the context of volunteering, including:
- leading change in an organisation
- building and maintaining motivation
- identifying and working with different personality types
- resolving conflict, addressing performance issues and giving constructive critical feedback
- stress and self-care strategies
- contemporary issues facing the emergency management sector.
The Volunteer Leadership Program is delivered by experienced Australian Red Cross facilitators, on behalf of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.
Are you eligible?
To be considered for the VLP, applicants must:
- be an active emergency management volunteer
- be 18 years of age or over on the day the course commences
- be available to participate over the weekend (the program runs from 4:30pm Friday to 2:00pm Sunday)
- have the support of their agency to participate in the program
- be prepared to undertake approximately two hours of pre-course work
- submit an application by the closing date, answering all questions on the application form.
Successful applicants will be notified at least two weeks prior to the course commencing.
What is provided?
The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience covers the course costs, including:
- two nights’ twin-share accommodation (Friday and Saturday night)
- full catering, including group dinners
Car parking may be provided based on availability.
Where available, participant may request a singe room at an additional cost of $67 per night, payable either by themselves or their agency. The availability of a single rooms is not guaranteed. AIDR will invoice the cost of single rooms post-event.
What is not provided?
Participants must cover the following costs:
- travel to/from the course location
- any beverages consumed in the venue bar or from the in-room minibar
- any on-demand movies viewed
- any internet access where the venue does not provide it for free
Applying for a VLP
To apply for the VLP:
- seek the endorsement of your agency manager to attend the program – the organisation endorsement form must be completed and submitted with your application
- complete the online application form, uploading the completed organisation endorsement form
AIDR will select participants in consultation with the Australian Emergency Management Volunteer Forum (AEMVF). If a VLP is oversubscribed, AIDR will seek to offer eligible applicants a place at a future program or place them on a waitlist for a place at short notice.
AIDR encourages applications from across Australia for any of the courses, although travel costs are typically the responsibility of the agency or individual.
AIDR will endeavour to accommodate any dietary request advised at the time of application; menus are typically available for vegetarian, low-fat and gluten-free diets.