What exactly is Active Membership?

We have many opportunities for you to volunteer as an Active Member to help our wildlife. You will be joining our Active Membership family. Active Membership is very rewarding knowing you are helping our wildlife and also our community. Active Members commit a few hours per week to the daily workings of the group and work together as a team. All Active Members receive training through Tweed Valley Wildlife prior to starting. Rescue and Transport training is compulsory and is conducted twice per year. Its a part of our licence agreement and our insurance. You need to do this training to start being an active member. This training is conducted by our experienced species coordinators and support is given throughout by other experienced members and administrators.

What exactly is Active Membership?

We have many opportunities for you to volunteer as an Active Member to help our wildlife. You will be joining our Active Membership family. Active Membership is very rewarding knowing you are helping our wildlife and also our community. Active Members commit a few hours per week to the daily workings of the group and work together as a team. All Active Members receive training through Tweed Valley Wildlife prior to starting. Rescue and Transport training is compulsory and is conducted twice per year. Its a part of our licence agreement and our insurance. You need to do this training to start being an active member. This training is conducted by our experienced species coordinators and support is given throughout by other experienced members and administrators.

eastern grey kangaroo for frontline emergency wildlife rescue service

You may be interested in our front line emergency work

You will join our first response teams and be trained in- house by existing members who will work with you. Read about some of our activities below.

  • Manning our wildlife 24hr rescue Hotline phone for a few hours each week.

Our Phone Operators or Phonies are the 000 for wildlife. The Phonies work from home, and take the initial call for help from members of the public. We have a great Phone Coordinator who works with and supports all the Phonies. You would be joining the Phonies Hotline team! Phonies are the first point of contact for the community. It works like this:

  1. Members of the public call our Hotline 0266724789 for assistance to rescue or assist our wildlife.
  2. Phonies may call the species coordinators for expert advice
  3. Phonies call the available rescuers and transporters to assist the animals in distress.

Starting out as a Phonie begins with having a Phonie buddy and just watching and listening to the calls. Phonie training is a gradual process until you feel confident. The training is usually done at your Phonie buddy’s home, during a live shift, and only for a couple of hours at a time.

  • Rescuing sick or injured animals or reuniting orphaned wildlife

Rescuers are trained members who attend to animals in distress, and with assistance from experienced species coordinators, assess the situation and conduct a rescue. Training is completed through Tweed Valley Wildlife once you have joined as an Active Member. It is free. Training may also be offered through other organisations.

  • Transporting

Transporters are the very important ambulance drivers who take animals to hospital, vet clinics or to a carer. Transporters use their own vehicles. The animals are securely contained in a box or crate for safe transport, ready for collection. Petrol costs can be claimed for mileage.

  • Caring for animals while they recuperate

Carers have completed training modules, have worked with a buddy and are under the supervision of the species coordinators. For most, Caring is not the first place to start. Members work up to this highly trained work and becoming a carer takes time. All of our rehabilitated wildlife is released back into the wild.

  • Tackle Bin Project

Discarded fishing line and hooks cause a lot of damage to marine life, seabirds and the environment. Many creatures get tangled and injured in the discarded lines and hooks and suffer and often die. The tackle bins collect used line and hooks at 13 locations in the Tweed Shire and a team of TVWC members regularly check the bins and remove metres of tangled fishing line and sharp fish hooks which are potentially fatal.

  • Manning our wildlife 24hr rescue Hotline phone for a few hours each week.

Our Phone Operators or Phonies are the 000 for wildlife. The Phonies work from home, and take the initial call for help from members of the public. We have a great Phone Coordinator who works with and supports all the Phonies. You would be joining the Phonies Hotline team! Phonies are the first point of contact for the community. It works like this:

  1. Members of the public call our Hotline 0266724789 for assistance to rescue or assist our wildlife.
  2. Phonies may call the species coordinators for expert advice
  3. Phonies call the available rescuers and transporters to assist the animals in distress.

Starting out as a Phonie begins with having a Phonie buddy and just watching and listening to the calls. Phonie training is a gradual process until you feel confident. The training is usually done at your Phonie buddy’s home, during a live shift, and only for a couple of hours at a time.

  • Rescuing sick or injured animals or reuniting orphaned wildlife

Rescuers are trained members who attend to animals in distress, and with assistance from experienced species coordinators, assess the situation and conduct a rescue. Training is completed through Tweed Valley Wildlife once you have joined as an Active Member. It is free. Training may also be offered through other organisations.

  • Transporting

Transporters are the very important ambulance drivers who take animals to hospital, vet clinics or to a carer. Transporters use their own vehicles. The animals are securely contained in a box or crate for safe transport, ready for collection. Petrol costs can be claimed for mileage.

  • Caring for animals while they recuperate

Carers have completed training modules, have worked with a buddy and are under the supervision of the species coordinators. For most, Caring is not the first place to start. Members work up to this highly trained work and becoming a carer takes time. All of our rehabilitated wildlife is released back into the wild.

  • Tackle Bin Project

Discarded fishing line and hooks cause a lot of damage to marine life, seabirds and the environment. Many creatures get tangled and injured in the discarded lines and hooks and suffer and often die. The tackle bins collect used line and hooks at 13 locations in the Tweed Shire and a team of TVWC members regularly check the bins and remove metres of tangled fishing line and sharp fish hooks which are potentially fatal.

You may also be interested in behind the scenes important work

Maybe you have some valuable skills you could bring to the group! You can also be trained in- house by existing members who will work with you. Read about some of our activities below.

  • Administration

Data base maintenance, records management, reports, statistics, scheduling rosters (Some members are able to devote a set time and day each week. This helps many members plan their time and work as a team)

  • Media & Communications

Writing newsletters, articles and posts for social media, website promotion, photography and filming, are all skills we welcome, Graphic designer talents to assist in giving the group a professional image., Moderating and managing our Viber account( a cross-platform messaging app that lets you send text messages, and make phone and video calls) We encourage active members to post their availability daily or for the week ahead on our Viber, which helps the phone volunteers to locate rescuers and transporters as required.

  • Carpentry

You may be a handy person and have skills to bring for our important: building and repairing nest boxes, aviaries and wildlife enclosures.

  • Release Sites & Browse

You may have a property with good forested habitat for the release of our rehabilitated wildlife like possums and gliders. You may have native species trees and plants that we could collect for food and rehab foliage for many animals in care like birds and possums. Species like lilly pilly varieties, grevilleas, rainforest natives and eucalypts are all valuable sources of nutrition for wildlife.

  • Fund Raising and Education

We have periodic fairs and markets that we attend and also community education opportunities. You may even be able to help with writing grant applications.

  • Administration

Data base maintenance, records management, reports, statistics, scheduling rosters (Some members are able to devote a set time and day each week. This helps many members plan their time and work as a team)

  • Media & Communications

Writing newsletters, articles and posts for social media, website promotion, photography and filming, are all skills we welcome, Graphic designer talents to assist in giving the group a professional image., Moderating and managing our Viber account( a cross-platform messaging app that lets you send text messages, and make phone and video calls) We encourage active members to post their availability daily or for the week ahead on our Viber, which helps the phone volunteers to locate rescuers and transporters as required.

  • Carpentry

You may be a handy person and have skills to bring for our important: building and repairing nest boxes, aviaries and wildlife enclosures.

  • Release Sites & Browse

You may have a property with good forested habitat for the release of our rehabilitated wildlife like possums and gliders. You may have native species trees and plants that we could collect for food and rehab foliage for many animals in care like birds and possums. Species like lilly pilly varieties, grevilleas, rainforest natives and eucalypts are all valuable sources of nutrition for wildlife.

  • Fund Raising and Education

We have periodic fairs and markets that we attend and also community education opportunities. You may even be able to help with writing grant applications.

There’s bound to be a job for you so you can join our dedicated family!