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Become a vital part of the Bellingen Riverwatch team by volunteering as a water quality monitoring tester!
We provide comprehensive training and all the information you require. Join our incredible group of volunteers! All you need is a passion for science and a commitment to helping protect our stunning rivers. There are diverse roles available within our water quality monitoring program, see below for more information.
To get involved, simply add your preferred volunteer role to your cart and proceed to checkout by clicking the cart icon in the top right corner. Any questions, reach out to our coordinator Sam via email at sam@ozgreen.org.au or give them a call at 0447949259
Join our team!
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When?
On the 2nd Tuesday or Wednesday of the month.
How often?
Monthly, ongoing.
Duration:
Training - Approximately 2-4 hours (two sessions minimum required prior to comencing testing. Training takes place with one of our WQM Mentor Vols - Helen or Cass).
Testing - Approximately 2-4 hours (monthly, ongoing)
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Our WQM Assigned Volunteers are an incredibly dedicated group of people who care deeply for their rivers and go out - rain hail or shine - every month, to test water quality at 30 sites across the Bellinger and Kalang catchments.
Assigned WQM Volunteers are assigned a testing site and test at the site every month, either by themselves or with another volunteer. (For safety, we prefer volunteers to test in pairs wherever possible.)
Roving WQM Volunteers need to have access to a car, be available on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month and partners ask that testing occurs between 12noon and 2pm (ideally, wherever possible).
It can take sometime to become an Assigned WQM Volunteer. It can take a few training sessions to feel confident, and then it can take a while to be assigned to a site, or if we are adding a new site to the program, it can take quite a while for us to fundraise to be able to purchase a new kit.
The dedication of this group is quite outstanding.
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Training:
Helen Davies and Cassandra Vockler are very experienced Bellingen Riverwatch volunteers who have stepped into WQM Mentor Roles to train new WQM volunteers.
Once you register as a WQM volunteer, the Coordinator will contact Helen and Cass and share your details with them.
Helen or Cass will then be in contact to organise a day, time and place to meet up to start training.
Sometimes, these will be one-on-one sessions. Sometimes, there will be other learning volunteers, or experienced volunteers doing refresher training there also.
These sessions may be conducted out in the field or at the OzGREEN office.
Two or more sessions are required to feel confident in WQM testing. There are training videos throughout the WQM Manual that we recommend you watch prior to your training sessions.
Wherever possible, these sessions are conducted on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month.
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When?
On the 2nd Tuesday or Wednesday of the month.
How often?
As needed (when an assigned volunteer is sick or away).
Duration:
Training - Approximately 2-4 hours (two sessions minimum required prior to comencing testing. Training takes place with one of our WQM Mentor Vols - Helen or Cass).
Testing - Approximately 2-4 hours
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Roving WQM Volunteers hold a vital role in the program. These volunteers step in if an Assigned WQM Volunteer is ill, on holidays or move away.The Coordinator contacts our roving volunteers as needed, with as much notice as possible, and asks if they are able to test the site/s needed that month.
Roving volunteers pick up a kit from OzGREEN’s office in Bellingen, and can test at any of our 25 sites across the Bellinger and Kalang catchments, or alternatively, can specify the sites that they are happy to support.
Testing occurs rain hail or shine. For safety, we prefer volunteers to test in pairs wherever possible. As such, we endeavour to assign two roving volunteers to test together wherever possible.
Roving WQM Volunteers need to have access to a car, be available on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month and partners ask that testing occurs between 12noon and 2pm (ideally, wherever possible).
It can take sometime to become a Roving WQM Volunteer. It can take a few training sessions to feel confident.
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Training: Helen Davies and Cassandra Vockler are very experienced Bellingen Riverwatch volunteers who have stepped into WQM Mentor Roles to train new WQM volunteers.
Once you register as a WQM volunteer, the Coordinator will contact Helen and Cass and share your details with them.
Helen or Cass will then be in contact to organise a day, time and place to meet up to start training. Sometimes, these will be one-on-one sessions. Sometimes, there will be other learning volunteers, or experienced volunteers doing refresher training there also. These sessions may be conducted out in the field or at the OzGREEN office.
Two or more sessions are required to feel confident in WQM testing. There are training videos throughout the WQM Manual that we recommend you watch prior to your training sessions.
Wherever possible, these sessions are conducted on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month.
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Assist teachers and students at Bellingen Riverwatch schools in monthly water quality testing. Must have valid WWCC
When?On the 2nd Tuesday or Wednesday of the month.
How often?
Monthly, ongoing.
Duration:
Training - Approximately 2-4 hours (two sessions minimum required prior to comencing testing. Training takes place with one of our WQM Mentor Vols - Helen or Cass).
Testing - Approximately 2-4 hours (monthly, ongoing)
—
Our WQM Assigned Volunteers are an incredibly dedicated group of people who care deeply for their rivers and go out - rain hail or shine - every month, to test water quality at 30 sites across the Bellinger and Kalang catchments.
Assigned WQM Volunteers are assigned a testing site and test at the site every month, either by themselves or with another volunteer. (For safety, we prefer volunteers to test in pairs wherever possible.)
Roving WQM Volunteers need to have access to a car, be available on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month and partners ask that testing occurs between 12noon and 2pm (ideally, wherever possible).
It can take sometime to become an Assigned WQM Volunteer. It can take a few training sessions to feel confident, and then it can take a while to be assigned to a site, or if we are adding a new site to the program, it can take quite a while for us to fundraise to be able to purchase a new kit.
The dedication of this group is quite outstanding.
—
Training:
Helen Davies and Cassandra Vockler are very experienced Bellingen Riverwatch volunteers who have stepped into WQM Mentor Roles to train new WQM volunteers.
Once you register as a WQM volunteer, the Coordinator will contact Helen and Cass and share your details with them.
Helen or Cass will then be in contact to organise a day, time and place to meet up to start training.
Sometimes, these will be one-on-one sessions. Sometimes, there will be other learning volunteers, or experienced volunteers doing refresher training there also.
These sessions may be conducted out in the field or at the OzGREEN office.
Two or more sessions are required to feel confident in WQM testing. There are training videos throughout the WQM Manual that we recommend you watch prior to your training sessions.
Wherever possible, these sessions are conducted on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of the month.
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Once experienced with testing, help new volunteers during training events.
When does testing take place?
Water quality monitoring tests occur monthly, consistently on the 2nd Tuesday or Wednesday of each month.
Monthly testing takes approximately 2-4 hours (monthly, ongoing).
How do i get started?
Once you fill in the form above our coordinator Sam will organise a training session for you.
Training is approximately 2-4 hours (two sessions minimum required before commencing testing). Our coordinator will be in touch once we receive your registration to organise your first session. Training is conducted by our experienced WQM Mentor Vols, Helen or Cass.
“I’ve loved sharing the information I learnt with my children, and watching them learn, asking questions, and playing an active part in it. I’ve loved learning from the team and seeing their passion and enthusiasm around the project. I’d definitely recommend citizen science to anyone. It’s educational, inspiring... It’s a way to help.”
OzGREEN complies with the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 and is committed to maintaining privacy and security of all personal information. With your consent, information may be disclosed, on a confidential basis, to our sponsors and service providers. As a program participant, you have the right to request access to any information that OzGREEN holds about you. To request access, or to request a copy of our privacy policy, you can contact us through our website at www.ozgreen.org