Online RESERVIST TRAINING

Become a trained Reservist and know how to respond when disaster strikes.

Disasters have a devastating impact on survivors, causing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, as well as hopelessness. Even worse, the many people compelled to respond often don’t know how they can practically help.

At Hope Force International, we believe everyone who wants to help disaster survivors should have a clear pathway to do so. That’s why we created an online, self-paced Reservist training that will teach you how to effectively respond to disaster with us.

As a Reservist, you will be on the frontlines of disaster relief, often responding within 24-48 hours, bringing help and hope to those affected. The video below shares more about what to expect from the online Reservist training.

reservist training topics

Hope Force Reservist training prepares you for both the practical and the emotional and spiritual dynamics of disaster response. Topics we cover are:

The core beliefs of Hope Force
Your identity in Christ
Emotional and Spiritual Care (ESC)
Healthy relationships on deployment
How to be a sensitive and appropriate caregiver
What to expect when responding
Disaster response principles

What you'll experience through online training

Our online Reservist training provides the insights, principles, and fundamentals to be an effective responder. Once you complete the course, you will be a certified Hope Force Reservist!

Through this training, you will receive:

A front-row seat to actual disaster footage and hear from the Hope Force founders on their experiences as disaster response experts.
Insights, principles, and lessons from the field to become an effective, appropriate disaster responder.
Reservist and survivor testimonies that highlight the life-changing impact of Hope Force International’s work.
A knowledge of “how things work,” and tips on how to decide to deploy with Hope Force.

Other Course Details

TIME: The course is approximately 6.5 hours of interactive content, videos, and teaching filmed exclusively for Hope Force. The course can be taken at your own pace within 90 days.

COST: $49 per person, or $39 per person for groups of 10 or more.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Participation in this course requires watching videos, taking notes, and completing questions to advance. You will need to complete all of the videos and answer all of the questions through each session to become a Reservist.

Already a Hope Force reservist?

Visit our page specifically for trained Reservists to stay up-to-date on serving opportunities, connection events, and more.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you don’t find what you’re looking for, email us at info@hopeforce.org.

How long has Hope Force International been doing disaster relief work?

Hope Force International has been doing disaster relief work since 2003.

What is the difference between a Reservist and a Volunteer?

A Reservist has successfully completed our training course and is eligible for rapid deployment within 24-48 hours after a disaster event. A volunteer has not yet taken the training but may be eligible for deployment weeks and/or months after the initial event, through our recovery/rebuild phases. For details, please email deployment@hopeforce.org

What skills or experience do I need to volunteer?

You don’t need any specialized skills to volunteer. Our volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and from all walks of life, with skills ranging from construction to administration. Age-wise, our volunteers consist of young people to seniors. Certain rebuild teams may require specialized skills (i.e., roofers, electricians, carpenters, plumbers). The nature of disaster response can be grueling and conditions can be challenging (i.e. sleeping on the floor, long days in hot and humid weather, etc).

For more information, please contact deployment@hopeforce.org.

Can my family join me on a deployment? I would like to bring my child(ren) – is there a minimum age?

We generally ask that children be at least 16 years old to participate with their parent(s) in a deployment, but there can be exceptions depending on the nature of the deployment. Please contact us at deployment@hopeforce.org for more details.

How can I get more information about deploying?

Please email us directly at deployment@hopeforce.org for more information on deploying as a Volunteer or Reservist.

Do I have to be a Reservist before I can join a deployment or rebuild team?

To deploy in the immediate aftermath of a disaster (within 24-48 hours), we require that our volunteers successfully complete the HFI Disaster Response Intensive training. Opportunities to serve as a non-trained volunteer are available on a case-by-case basis. This depends on the severity of the disaster and a number of other variables. For rebuild teams, we often accept volunteers who have not yet attended our training, depending on the specific deployment. Please contact our Deployment Department at deployment@hopeforce.org for further details.

Do I have to be a Christian to volunteer or take the training?

You do not have to be a Christian to volunteer or take the training. We are a faith-based organization and as such we operate following Christian values. HFI stresses the importance of the relational, emotional and spiritual aspects of effectively meeting the needs of those who have suffered loss.