FAQs about EWB
Below you should be able to find most frequently asked questions about EWB in Victoria (that's why we call it the FAQ Section). If you have a question that is not on here, please send an email to vic.chapter@ewb.org.au and we will attempt to answer it for you and post it on this page.
Do I have to be a member to get involved with EWB in Victoria?
Yes and no.
Yes, if you want to volunteer with our local initiatives. If so, then sign up as a bona-fide member here. This is primarily for insurances purposes, however it is a great way to show your support for our organisation. You will have full access to EWB’s networks across Australia and the interactive website.
No, if you only want to come along to our events occasionally.
How do I get involved with EWB in Victoria?
There are a few ways to get involved:
- Come along to some of our events which are posted on our webpage and updated regularly.
- Become a member for a small annual fee (check it out here) and sign up to the Victoria Region Team for updates.
- Volunteer with initiatives such as School Outreach, Local Projects and initiatives being facilitated by our Community Partners.
- Get technical with some of our Knowledge Hubs (what is a Knowledge Hub?).
- Learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues through our range of initiatives.
In 2012, we will be holding four ‘Welcome to EWB’ nights (kind of like speed dating) where you can find about what we do, why we exist, how you can get involved and an opportunity to meet some of our more active volunteers.
Check our our Calendar of Events here (which will be updated in early 2012) with dates of our events.
Who do I contact regarding certain things I might be interested in?
If you want to make a general inquiry into EWB please send us an email at vic.chapter@ewb.org.au. Our Chapter Secretary or Engagement Champion will generally respond to you within 48 hours.
If you are already an EWB member and have a specific question about any of the following areas, please send an email to the relevant person below:
- Local Partnerships and Projects, Ciara Noone noone.ciara@gmail.com
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives, Dan A’Vard davard.ewb@gmail.com
- Media and Communications, Felicity Ryan felicity.ryan@hotmail.com
- EWB’s involvement with Engineers Australia, Alesha Printz
- Knowledge initiatives (inc. Knowledge Hubs in Victoria, Pathways to Development, EWB Challenge), Lesley Smith lesley.ewb@gmail.com
For specific enquiries regarding the university groups, check out their websites and click on the 'contact us' link:
Why volunteer?
Most volunteers are motivated by a desire to contribute to the community. EWB volunteers often tell us that they want to assist our community partners, work with different people across the engineering profession in a humanitarian context or assist with learning and change initiatives. Our volunteers do all of that and the great thing is, is that it is not all one way.
We often hear about how much our volunteers have gained from their experiences by working with different communities of people, different cultures, and the challenges others have faced. Volunteering can be an intensely rewarding experience - personally and professionally - for both the beneficiaries and the volunteer.
What is a community partner?
Community partners are organisations that EWB works with to assist them gain access to knowledge, resources and appropriate technologies needed to achieve their organisation aims.
A community partner could be a community organisation, a non-government organisation, or a social enterprise but they all are working to contribute to a more equal and sustainable world.
EWB has strong relationships with our community partners. We aim to partner with local community organisations in the majority of our work. Partners are involved in shared learnings, teaching us about their culture and approach to community development and hosting EWB volunteers.
This applies just as much to local volunteer work as it does to international development. In Victoria, the EWB Region Team has community partnerships with the following organisations:
You can find out more about other community partners across the EWB Australia network here.
I am looking for more technical things to get involved in, what do you recommend?
Get involved with our range of thematic online communities, known as Knowledge Hubs. In Victoria, we have the following active Knowledge Hubs:
These Knowledge Hubs organise events and provide technical support to our in-country volunteers (locally and internationally). They support people in further developing their knowledge and skills by connecting them to one another and to a wealth of educational resources and opportunities.
On the Victoria Region Team, the Knowledge Champion is responsible for ensuring collaboration between each of the Knowledge Hubs and the Victoria Region Chapter.