Volunteer service

The National Insurance Institute operates a volunteer service to assist victims of terror and their families. The volunteers work in collaboration with each local branch's Rehabilitation Department and assist the families in all aspects of life and as long as required.

The volunteers undergo professional training and accompany you and your family with counselling and guidance throughout the rehabilitation process. The volunteers will assist you in various fields and serve as your point of contacts at National Insurance and other community institutions. The volunteers are also friends of the family and maintain a supportive connection with you and your family members.

Volunteers' Duties

1. Treatment-supportive duties: social visits at bereaved families' homes, help with homework and tutorage for children and youth
2. Technical duties: transport, translation and home repair services.
3. Organizational-administrative duties: assistance in contact with various authorities, various office services

The different duties are carried out in times of emergency as well as peaceful times with different emphases. Some of the duties are short-timed and short-termed, such as pre-holiday phone rounds, "hot lines" in times of distress and phone surveys for checking family needs. Other duties are of a long-term nature, such as continuous contact for supporting the family.

Most of the duties require the ability to submit to authority, work in a team and being prepared to receive and give feedback.

Basic voluntary principles

• Confidentiality: Confidentiality is a basic ethical principle in working with the public. Volunteers are exposed to the families' inner world and gain their trust. They are therefore committed to maintaining privacy and full confidentiality regarding every piece of information to which they are exposed within the scope of their work.
• Reporting: Volunteers are obliged to make reports of their voluntary activity through constant participation in training groups.
• Duration of volunteering: Volunteers commit themselves to a volunteering period of at least 12 months.

Volunteers' Rights

• Proper guidance, direction and training – Volunteers receive professional training throughout their volunteering period, both personally and in a group.
• Insurance – Volunteers are insured under to the National Insurance Law while performing their voluntary work.
• Volunteer I.D. – Volunteers are given a card identifying them as representatives of the Rehabilitation Department of the National Insurance Institute. They are permitted to present the I.D. to the families, various authorities and the National Insurance Institute.
• Reimbursement – Volunteers are reimbursed for travelling expenses for visiting families' homes as well as for phone calls.

People who wish to volunteer to assist the victims and their families are requested to contact the Rehabilitation Department at their nearest local branch:

Rehabilitation Department Volunteers Bulletin