Joining as a Search and Rescue member

Applications for Search & Rescue membership closed on 31st March 2023 and we don’t plan to recruit again until 2024 at the earliest.

This is a voluntary, unpaid role. The following sections provide a general overview of the recruitment and probationary process – as you read through, please bear in mind the TIME and COMMITMENT involved in being a member!

You must be aged 18-years or over and be fit and healthy enough to undertake physical tasks in all weathers. You must be a regular hill-walker and able to move across open moorland and difficult, sometimes steep, terrain. Experience with other outdoor activities such as climbing or mountaineering are not required but you must have the equipment and skills necessary to look after yourself outdoors in all weathers, including navigating using a map and compass by day and night.

You must also be willing to work as part of a team, live in our operational area (see map on this page), have regular access to your own transport and be prepared to commit a very significant amount of your time. Do not underestimate the time commitment involved – not just for call-outs (which can come at anytime, often in the early hours of a morning) but also for our weekly Wednesday evening training sessions plus five or six practice weekends a year. In addition there is an expectation that you will be available for a wide range of events including assisting with fundraising activities – these tend to be additional weekend commitments. Also bear in mind the potential disruption to your life; as already mentioned, call-outs can come at anytime of the day or night, sometimes lasting for many hours and often interrupting family and social plans.

When applications are invited we normally run two Open Sessions at our Great Ayton Base early in the year. These are opportunities to meet Team members and to find out more about what membership involves.

If you attend one of the Open Sessions and still wish to continue with your application you will then be asked to submit an application form and, subject to an assessment of that, you may be invited to an assessment day, normally held in early summer. It will be mandatory to attend on that day; no other assessment days will be offered.

If you are successful on the assessment day you will be required to attend training sessions as a ‘prospective member’ for a period of 10-12 weeks between September and December, normally held every Wednesday evening plus at least one weekend . If you can’t commit the time to attend the majority of those sessions then you should not apply!

You will be required to submit to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

At the end of this initial training period your progress will be considered by the Committee and if satisfactory you will progress to ‘probationary status’ and subsequently become liable for call-out.

You would then have to complete a minimum of 12-months as a Search and Rescue probationer and be subject to continuous training and assessment during that time. After the 12-month point, the Committee will decide whether or not to make you a full Team member.

In addition to acquiring technical search and rescue skills, you must realise that you will be joining a dedicated team of volunteers, where team-work is not simply an addition to the normal workload, but is an integral part of the role. It is again stressed that the time commitment is significant and should not be underestimated!

If you have any queries about the recruiting process please contact us via recruitment@clevelandmrt.org.uk. Please remember that we are all volunteers so it make take a day or two to reply.

We do not maintain a list of potential applicants for future years so please do not contact this email simply to register your interest. For our next recruitment (which will probably not be advertised until at the earliest January 2024) please keep an eye on this website and follow us on social media.

Please note that applications to join the Team are currently on hold. The advice below is what normally applies but at the present time we are not entertaining any new applications.

Our Support members help with:

• Arranging, attending and assisting with fundraising events
• Helping with catering at events
• Check points, marshalling and administration on walks and races
• ‘Bodying’ for training exercises
• Representing the team at community events
• Assisting with maintenance of the base, vehicles and equipment

This is not an exhaustive list and in addition to this we would like to hear from you if you have a specialist skill that you feel you could bring to the Team. Anyone who is 18 or over can apply.

All these roles are ‘non-operational’ but essential so that the Team can continue to grow, be successful and support our local communities when called upon. Even a small commitment of a couple of hours makes a big difference, do not be concerned that you will be required in the middle of the night in the snow and rain, we have a team of committed Search and Rescue members who do all that!

Some of our Support members have gone on to be Search and Rescue members so you may find this role ideal whilst waiting for such opportunities to arise or to see if that is for you.

Applications to become a Support member will be invited when vacancies arise (they will be published on this page and advertised via social media). Support members join as probationary members and will receive inputs on the history and role of the Team, be shown the workings of the Base and our equipment and undertake Basic Life Support training. After a probationary period (variable duration depending upon your availability and commitment) you will move from ‘probationary’ to ‘full member’ status subject to having completed the training and having attended a number of Team meetings and events.

You will be required to submit to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check organised by the Team.

Remember – if you wish to become a Support member please follow us on social media and ideally wait for vacancies to be advertised.