PVO/NGO volunteer opportunities in relief effort in Japan?
March 20, 2011 10:42 AM Subscribe
What are some PVO/NGO that will enable me to volunteer in the relief effort in Japan? (I am willing to pay for my own air fare/accommodations/etc).
Also, in terms of training, what are some programs or certifications that will help train/prepare me for going overseas?
Response by poster: Read that -- didn't exactly answer the question fully. Found this instead on Yahoo answers: You have a good heart!
"The Red Cross does not accept spontaneous international volunteers--and as far as I know, no other organization does, either.
In order to be an international Red Cross volunteer, you have to have extensive training in mass care--shelter operation, feeding, client tracking, and information dispersal--and at least five years of local and national disaster response experience. You also need to speak the destination's language fluently and have proven cultural competence and flexibility. If you join now and make the commitment of time (about 40 hours of training and one on-call week a month) and energy, you might be ready for the next U.S. disaster.
Now, let's talk about money. The Red Cross spends donated money in or near a disaster area, to purchase necessary supplies from local businesses. This means that these businesses can continue to pay their employees, who already affected by the disaster. Otherwise, they would lose their jobs on top of everything else that has happened. Donating money keeps people going in ways far beyond immediate supplies.
Also--the earthquake happened on Friday. The Red Cross and other relief organizations already existed, right? So before the disaster hit, they had offices in place to get information and coordinate their responses.
Relief agencies need stuff independent of any specific disaster.
Agencies need vehicles to get to disasters. These are usually vans and trucks. These need gas, oil, tires, inspection, maintenance, and insurance--all of which costs money. Agency offices need electricity, water, computers, Internet access, phones, phone service, printers, paper, toner--and people. People need to be paid living wages and have healthcare insurance in full-time jobs. (You want that, right?)
All of that already had to be paid for, so when disasters occur, the agencies are ready. Without unrestricted donations not tied to any event, relief agencies cannot have any of these necessities--and can't respond as effectively as necessary.
Source(s):
I am a Red Cross volunteer."
posted by meta.mark at 10:50 AM on March 20, 2011
"The Red Cross does not accept spontaneous international volunteers--and as far as I know, no other organization does, either.
In order to be an international Red Cross volunteer, you have to have extensive training in mass care--shelter operation, feeding, client tracking, and information dispersal--and at least five years of local and national disaster response experience. You also need to speak the destination's language fluently and have proven cultural competence and flexibility. If you join now and make the commitment of time (about 40 hours of training and one on-call week a month) and energy, you might be ready for the next U.S. disaster.
Now, let's talk about money. The Red Cross spends donated money in or near a disaster area, to purchase necessary supplies from local businesses. This means that these businesses can continue to pay their employees, who already affected by the disaster. Otherwise, they would lose their jobs on top of everything else that has happened. Donating money keeps people going in ways far beyond immediate supplies.
Also--the earthquake happened on Friday. The Red Cross and other relief organizations already existed, right? So before the disaster hit, they had offices in place to get information and coordinate their responses.
Relief agencies need stuff independent of any specific disaster.
Agencies need vehicles to get to disasters. These are usually vans and trucks. These need gas, oil, tires, inspection, maintenance, and insurance--all of which costs money. Agency offices need electricity, water, computers, Internet access, phones, phone service, printers, paper, toner--and people. People need to be paid living wages and have healthcare insurance in full-time jobs. (You want that, right?)
All of that already had to be paid for, so when disasters occur, the agencies are ready. Without unrestricted donations not tied to any event, relief agencies cannot have any of these necessities--and can't respond as effectively as necessary.
Source(s):
I am a Red Cross volunteer."
posted by meta.mark at 10:50 AM on March 20, 2011
Sounds like to me you have your answer.
May I suggest you begin volunteering closer to home and getting some training under your belt for next time? There will always be a next time, sadly, and having the well-trained and experienced you at the next disaster is far preferable to having the well-intentioned, necessarily bumbling you at this one.
Meanwhile, send money through a reputable charity.
posted by thebrokedown at 11:57 AM on March 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
May I suggest you begin volunteering closer to home and getting some training under your belt for next time? There will always be a next time, sadly, and having the well-trained and experienced you at the next disaster is far preferable to having the well-intentioned, necessarily bumbling you at this one.
Meanwhile, send money through a reputable charity.
posted by thebrokedown at 11:57 AM on March 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
You won't get any NGO asking for your help unless you are very connected. But if you are fluent in Japanese and have some amazing skill set and are connected to the NGO world you might be able to go over there. But unlikely.
So you should just pay your own way and help out. But this isn't like the 2004 Tsunami where the countries involved were underdeveloped and unable to help themselves. Japan can take care of themselves.
The benefit of your presence to the affected Japanese is much smaller than the benefit of your money donated to an effective organization.
But why Japan? Places like DRC, CAR and South Sudan have a much greater and longer lasting need for help.
posted by tarvuz at 2:07 PM on March 20, 2011
So you should just pay your own way and help out. But this isn't like the 2004 Tsunami where the countries involved were underdeveloped and unable to help themselves. Japan can take care of themselves.
The benefit of your presence to the affected Japanese is much smaller than the benefit of your money donated to an effective organization.
But why Japan? Places like DRC, CAR and South Sudan have a much greater and longer lasting need for help.
posted by tarvuz at 2:07 PM on March 20, 2011
Also: previously.
Short answer: There is no shortage of untrained, unskilled labour in Japan right now. If you go to the affected areas of Japan, you will be a burden, not a help. Take the money you would have spent on your airfare and give it to an organisation like the Red Cross or Médecins Sans Frontières. Then start volunteering for a relief organisation in your local area, work hard, don't complain, assist with a few local disaster responses, and maybe one day you'll have the skills and experience to be genuinely useful overseas.
posted by embrangled at 5:09 PM on March 20, 2011
Short answer: There is no shortage of untrained, unskilled labour in Japan right now. If you go to the affected areas of Japan, you will be a burden, not a help. Take the money you would have spent on your airfare and give it to an organisation like the Red Cross or Médecins Sans Frontières. Then start volunteering for a relief organisation in your local area, work hard, don't complain, assist with a few local disaster responses, and maybe one day you'll have the skills and experience to be genuinely useful overseas.
posted by embrangled at 5:09 PM on March 20, 2011
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posted by coffee_monster at 10:45 AM on March 20, 2011