Volunteer
Why Volunteers are Important
Our organization has our grassroots in volunteer based assistance, and while many things have changed, volunteers are essential in our mission and values and are always looking to add to our team.
Volunteer Opportunities
Administrative Office Work – To include but not limited to answering phones, responding to in person inquiries for services, initial intake questions and paperwork (with appropriate training), word processing and printing – This opportunity is available one or more days per week for offices in Accomack and Northampton County.
Graphics Design – To include but not limited to assisting with the design and printing of printed matter for community outreach – This opportunity would be available depending on current outreach projects.
Donation Management – To include but not limited to accepting and organizing donations, assisting with transport of furniture (if the volunteer has a truck and/or trailer available). – This opportunity is available one or more day per week depending on donations received for locations in Accomack and Northampton County.
Fundraising and Special Events – To include but not limited to assistance with special events and fundraising opportunities. Some activities could include planning and coordination of special events, site set up, community outreach to potential sponsors and being available the day of the event to provide needed assistance. – This opportunity has variable availability.
If Interested in volunteering please email our Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator jbulin@escadv.org or call 757-787-1959.
Requirements & Training
Level 1.
- May have incidental contact with persons accessing agencies services.
- Receive a minimum of 4 hours initial training.
Opportunities available with level 1 training include donation management and special events/fundraising activities.
Level 1 training consists of completing a basic introduction to issues relevant to domestic violence, and one – to –one training on specific tasks or software.
Topics In Level 1 Training:
- Definitions and dynamics of sexual violence
- Definitions and dynamics of domestic violence
- Definitions and dynamics of stalking within the context of sexual and domestic violence
- History and philosophy and structure of the agency
- Agency policies and procedures
- Emergency/crisis response to address immediate safety needs
- Making appropriate community referrals, including specialized resources for underserved populations
- Agency code of ethics/rules of conducts
- Role of the advocate/volunteer
- Self-care-what to do when your issues come up
- Confidentiality
- Personal safety and security of staff and volunteers/interns
- Cultural sensitivity
Level 2.
- May have some contact with persons accessing services.
- Receive a minimum of 20 hours of initial training. The 20 hours is comprised of the initial 4 hour training, plus 16 additional hours.
Opportunties available with level 2 training include: assisting clients with donations, transporting furniture to a clients home, and administrative office tasks.
Topics In Level 2 Training:
- Crisis intervention/counseling skills
- Trauma of victimization-post traumatic stress
- Survivor-directed services
- Boundaries
- Intersectionality of oppressions and the societal impact of violance
- Victims' rights
- Safety planning
- The impact of domestic on children
- History of the sexual and domestic violence movements
- VAdata (all staff and relevant volunteers)
- Services, structure and contact information for the Action Alliance
- Acronyms-jargon-the language of sexual and domestic violence work
- How technology is used against people who have experienced sexual or domestic violence or stalking
Level 3.
- Direct services: Will likely have ongoing contact with persons seeking agency services.
- Receive a minimum of 40 hours of initial training. The 40 hours is comprised of the initial 4 hour training, completing of the 16 hours of Level 2 training, plus an additional 20 hours.
Opportunities available with level 3 training include: hotline volunteers, volunteer support group facilitators, companion services, shelter support volunteers and community education volunteers.
Topics In Level 3 Training:
- Working with people with mental health, cognitive and/or physical disabilities who have experienced sexual and/or domestic violence
- Working with people underserved populations who have exericened sexual and/or domestic violence (male victims, older adults, children, LBGTQ, people with disabilities, immigrants, etc.)
- Cultural competancy
- Civil and criminal justice systems
- Individual and systems advocacy
- Victarious traumatization
- Lethality/danger assessment
- Protective orders
- Coordinated community response/sexual response teams
- Child sexual abuse
- Adult survivors of childhood sexual violence
- Intimate partner sexual violence
- Sexual harassment
- Medical concerns
- Drug facilitated sexual violence
- Suicide intervention
- Record keeping
- Sexual violence laws, as related to adults and minors
- Domestic violence laws
- Child abuse and neglect laws
- Incapacitated and vulnerable adult abuse laws
- Law enforcement response
- Sexual abuse nurse examinor/forensic nurse examiner
- Physical evidence recovery kit
- Third party reporting/blind reporting
Each Level 3 trainee will establish a plan to meet the 16 additional hours of training required. This plan is subject to approval by the ESCADV coordinator, and is subject to availability and funding.
Get Involved
Community engagement, involvement and support is critical to ESCADV's success.