Trainers

National Response Team

PDA National Volunteers

Left: National Response Team members, April 2006. Photo: Jim Anderson

Trainers

PDA is seeking 10 to 12 persons to act as regional trainers (within a six-synod area) to serve an initial four-year term. Trainers will be asked to provide a minimum of three two-day trainings per year to Synod and Presbytery Disaster Response Teams covering topics including basic disaster response, long term recovery, self-care for leaders, volunteer management and spiritual care in disaster.

Applicants should have: excellent communication skills, experience in training in the church or other non-profit environments, knowledge and experience in disaster response.

Candidates will be required to present two references and an endorsement of their Session (for elders) or Presbytery (for ordained clergy).

National Response Team

PDA is seeking 12-15 persons to train to become part of the PDA National Response Team. National Response Team members are the first PDA representatives in the field following a national disaster. A three-year appointment requires a minimum availability of four weeks per year — two weeks for field work, one week of disaster training, and one week for the annual NRT meeting. Typically, response will be required within 72 hours of a nationally declared disaster.

PDA National Volunteers

PDA is continuously seeking those with experience in long-term recovery, volunteer management and disaster recovery organizing. These persons are not part of the National Response Team and therefore do not commit themselves to the same level of involvement. However, the National Volunteers do make themselves available for specific tasks during the relief and recovery period following a disaster. PDA National Volunteers with specific disaster-related expertise may be asked to represent PDA at meetings in their area of expertise. For those with difficulty giving extended time to response, or who already have a heavy schedule, this provides an important way to be involved with PDA national response efforts.

Apply to serve with PDA

Application and appraisal forms are available in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat formats.

• Microsoft Word documents can be downloaded, completed on your computer, and emailed to pda@pcusa.org.
  
  
  • PDA Application - Word
  • Appraisal Form (print three copies)
• Adobe Acrobat (pdf) documents can be downloaded and completed by hand; the document can then be scanned and emailed, mailed, or faxed to PDA.
  
  
  • PDA Application
  • Appraisal Form (print three copies)

For more information on becoming part of the PDA Volunteer network, contact John Robinson.