Sexual Assault Volunteer Advocates respond to crisis hotline calls, provide crisis intervention, safety planning, referrals, and accompany sexual assault survivors during the medical forensic examination at the YWCA's Nurse Examiner Program and/or hospital in Kent County.
Sexual Assault Volunteer Advocates are required to complete a 40-hour training. Our intensive training prepares volunteers with the knowledge and skills to work directly with survivors of sexual assault. All related materials are provided at no cost.
Commitment: 1 year; regularly attend monthly volunteer meetings and supervision; communicate any schedule conflict with Volunteer Services Coordinator within a timely manner; maintenance and submission of required paperwork on a timely basis.
Volunteers are asked to take two shifts per month, or more if needed. Volunteers commit to taking one holiday shift per year.
Weekday Shifts
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 6:00 pm to 8:00 am.
Weekend Shifts
Friday, 5:00 pm to 8:00am.
Saturday, 8:00 am to Saturday, 8:00pm
Saturday, 8:00 pm to Sunday, 8:00 am
Sunday, 8:00 am to Sunday, 8:00 pm
Sunday, 8:00 pm to Monday, 8:00 am
Volunteers use their own cell phone to receive after hour crisis calls from the YWCA. The 24-hour crisis line is forwarded to our Sojourner House shelter in the evenings, on weekends and holidays. YWCA daytime staff will handle calls during regular work hours. Since volunteers use a cell phone, there is freedom to be on-call and still go about your daily routine, as long as you are available to return calls immediately and able to present to the YWCA if need be within 30-60 minutes.
Qualifications
Volunteer advocates must possess the following qualifications; good communication skills, ability to be non-judgmental, good listening skills, problem solving ability, willingness to get up at any hour in the night, ability to think clearly in crisis situations, ability to work with diverse populations and be a team player. You must have access to reliable transportation. Some college is preferred.
