Volunteers

Have you ever thought about becoming an ambulance volunteer?
How easily you could fit it into your life?
How much you'd get out of it personally?

In regional South Australia more than 1400 volunteers make up a network of over 70 country volunteer teams for SA Ambulance Service. Volunteers provide professional emergency ambulance and patient-transfer services within their communities. And in return, they gain self-confidence and decision-making skills in often challenging situations: skills for life.

Make volunteering a part of your lifestyle.

SA Ambulance Service volunteers often lead busy lives, so we aim to keep volunteering as simple as possible. When volunteers are on call, they are free to go about their normal lives as long as they stay within the local town area. Our volunteers are in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties and even seventies. And what they have to say about volunteering is very revealing.

Statements like "This is the most rewarding job I've ever had" and "I only wish that I did this years earlier" are common.

You will be willing to undertake an average of three to four shifts a month and participate in at least two training sessions a month.

Benefits of volunteering.

As a volunteer ambulance officer you will gain the skills and confidence to take control in an emergency situation and to save the lives of others. The personal satisfaction and self-esteem that comes with this is immeasurable. But as well as learning life-saving medical skills, other life skills will get a boost – like decision making, team and leadership abilities. And our volunteers are trained in safe, defensive driving: that's something you'll call on every day.

As a prospective volunteer, you'll have qualities that we recognise as important – your compassion, your commitment to the community and your willingness to learn are just a few. SA Ambulance Service wants to build on what you bring.

It makes our service better and in turn it serves you with skills for life.

Volunteer requirements.

To become an ambulance volunteer, you will need to:

• meet medical and fitness requirements
• hold and retain a current full, unrestricted SA driver's licence.

Your training and education.

Once accepted, you will need to:

• successfully complete a training course called Certificate II in Emergency Medical Service First Response
• complete a further six months of training to upgrade to a Certificate IV in Health Care (Ambulance).

These courses will give you a nationally recognised qualification and as well you'll receive a senior first-aid certificate from SA Ambulance Service, a valuable addition to any resumé.

Looking for life changers.

If you’re passionate about contributing to your community, are enthusiastic, team-oriented, live an active life and want to learn life skills, SA Ambulance Service would like to hear from you. The process is simple and takes the following steps:

• application
• interview
• medical assessment
• national police check.

Just as volunteering is a matter of choice, being an ambulance officer isn’t for everyone. Why not become a support volunteer? In this role you’ll give your time to administrative work, gardening, equipment maintenance, participation on a committee or running recruitment campaigns for your local ambulance team.

It doesn't matter who you are, you've got something to give. And here's the perfect opportunity to give it. SA Ambulance Service volunteers are vital for our country communities, so we’d love to hear from you.