HOPE FORCE RESERVIST TRAINING

Hope Force International trains volunteers in advance so they are prepared to respond when disaster strikes.

Disasters have a devastating impact on survivors, causing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, and creating hopelessness. Even worse, the many people compelled to respond often don’t know where to start when they want to help.

But now, you can get trained online to become a Hope Force Reservist through our online training program! Watch the video below to learn what to expect from the Hope Force Reservist training.

reservist training topics

This training is required to be qualified as a Hope Force Reservist — one who is eligible for rapid deployment — often within 24-48 hours following a disaster event. The training prepares Reservists for the spiritual and practical dynamics of disaster response. The training covers topics such as:

Core beliefs of Hope Force
Identity in Christ for Reservists
Emotional and spiritual care (ESC)
Healthy relationships on deployment
How to be appropriate caregivers
What to expect when responding
Disaster response principles

online training

Our online Reservist training provides the insights, principles, and fundamentals to be an effective responder. Once you complete the course, you will become 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.
The insights, principles, practices, and lessons from the field to become an effective, appropriate disaster responder.
Reservist and survivor testimonies sharing the impact that Hope Force has made on their lives.
A knowledge of “how things work” and how to make the decision to deploy with Hope Force.

Other Course Details

TIME: The course is approximately 9.5 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?

Access the training videos here with your Reservist password.

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.