By: centraljersey.com
Womanspace is looking for volunteers to join the Domestic Violence Victim Response Team (DVVRT) and Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) Advocate Team. Team members respond to local police stations or hospitals and meet with victims, providing them with support, information and referral.
In the past ten years the teams have served over 5,700 residents of Mercer County. Between July 2009 and June 2010, team members provided services to 907 domestic violence victims and 68 sexual assault victims.
DVVRT and SASS volunteers support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault when they need it most. Qualifications include the ability to communicate well with others and be a good listener, ability to maintain confidentiality, 18 years of age and resident of or employed in the Mercer County area, valid driver’s license and available transportation, no criminal history or prior history as a defendant in a domestic violence or sexual assault related matter, and availability to attend classes and meetings.
Volunteers will receive 80-plus hours of extensive, specialized training on topics including the law, sensitivity to the needs of victims and their children, and how to provide appropriate responses at a very critical time. Trained volunteers need to be "on call" (available to respond to call-outs) for two to four shifts a month.
The next training will begin in March 2011.
Download an application to volunteer at www.womanspace.org. Applications must be mailed to Womanspace by Feb. 15. Interested persons must submit to a background investigation, including fingerprinting. Bilingual individuals (especially those fluent in Spanish, Polish, and American Sign Language) are encouraged to apply.
For more information about volunteering on the teams, please contact Heidi Mueller at [email protected] and Alison Daks at [email protected], or call (609) 394-0136.
Womanspace Inc. provides a comprehensive array of services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for women and their families. Do you need to talk to someone? Please call the 24-hour Mercer County Hotline at 609-394-9000 for domestic violence and sexual assault crisis assistance and information.
