Frequently asked questions
| Question: | Are volunteers covered by insurance? |  |
| Volunteers are insured by the EPA through the Queensland Government Insurance Fund. Volunteer cover is very similar to that received by staff and includes public liability and personal accident insurance. The personal accident cover is paid in terms of the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003. | ||
| Question: | Do I need to be a volunteer to be employed by the EPA? | |
| No, positions with the EPA are filled on the basis of an open merit-based selection. The selection criteria do not require you to have performed any volunteer work. However, you may wish to take up volunteer work in an area related to your vocational expertise in order to demonstrate and hone your work-related skills. | ||
| Question: | What is the difference between work experience and volunteering? | |
| Work experience is carried out by students who are involved in meeting a part of their course requirements. They are insured by their educational institution and are not registered as volunteers. | ||
| Question: | Can volunteers work at any national park? | |
| Yes. While a national park may not be able to run a formal volunteer program, there may be occasional volunteering opportunities. This will depend on the current work programs and should be discussed with the ranger-in-charge. | ||
| Question: | What level of commitment is required to be a volunteer? |
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| This varies. For instance, some programs have rosters with scheduled commitments. Similarly, in order to maintain skills and expertise, certain programs require their trained volunteers to commit themselves on a regular basis. However, many programs exist where the level of commitment is highly flexible and a volunteer is free to enjoy activities at their discretion. You should discuss this matter with the program’s volunteer co-ordinator. | ||
| Question: | Do I need any special skills to be a volunteer? | |
| In most cases the volunteer co-ordinator will ensure you are provided with orientation, induction, skills and any other training necessary to perform your volunteer role. You rarely have to bring the necessary skills and abilities with you. This is also a matter that you should discuss with the program’s volunteer co-ordinator. |  |
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| Question: | Where can I find out about what sort of programs are available? | |
| Read Where to start for a look at available programs. | ||
| Question: | How do I help care for wildlife? | |
| Apart from the programs listed in “Where to start” there are many volunteers who, as individuals or members of organisations, care for and rehabilitate wildlife. While these individuals support EPA conservation goals they are not acting directly under EPA supervision and are not regarded as EPA volunteers. To find out more about any of these volunteers contact your local Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service District Office. | ||
| Overseas volunteers | ||
| Question: | Does the EPA offer internships? | |
| The EPA does not run any specific internship-style programs. There are very few opportunities to perform continuous (daily) volunteer work at one place for long periods e.g. 3 to 6 months. However, it may be that volunteer engagements at a couple of different places could be arranged and this should be discussed via the email letterbox. | ||
| Question: | Are volunteers eligible for financial assistance? | |
| No, volunteers should plan to be fully self-sufficient and will need to meet their own expenses, such as food, clothing, travel and accommodation. There are some parks that have staff accommodation that may occasionally be available to volunteers. You should discuss this with the ranger-in-charge. | ||
| Question: | How do I contact volunteer co-ordinators | |
| Please tell us via email which programs interest you. We will be happy to provide email contact details for the appropriate staff. | ||
Last updated: 19 March 2008
