Volunteering with WOAR

As a WOAR direct service volunteer, you will provide crucial supportive counseling to survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Volunteers staff the 24-hour hotline and meet in-person with sexual assault survivors who are seeking medical attention at local hospitals. WOAR Volunteers are crisis counselors, advocates and educators.

Volunteers are required to go through a 40 hour training course to become a Sexual Assault Counselor.  The training is done in a group setting, and consists of presentations, readings and role playing. Training will be scheduled in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate as many people as possible. After the training course is completed you will listen in on hotline calls and observe counseling at the hospital before doing it on your own. All sessions must be attended. Click here for the 2010 training schedules.

• There will be a volunteer orientation on Tuesday August 10, 2010 6:00pm-8:00pm and Saturday August 21, 2010 10:00am - 12:00pm. Attend the orientation to learn more about the program and the training course. If you cannot attend an orientation contact the WOAR office to schedule an interview.

WOAR will complete a Criminal Background check and Child Abuse Clearance on every volunteer and intern.

The Hotline/ER Volunteer Program at WOAR has the following components:

1. Initial 40 hour training (evenings and weekends)
2. Monthly meetings
3. Monthly sign-up for volunteer shifts on a first come, first serve basis
4. Commitment to a minimum of 15 hotline hours per month. Hotline calls are taken from the volunteer’s home – allowing volunteers to attend to other tasks when not on hotline calls. Hotline shifts are evenings, overnights and weekends.
5. Provide crisis counseling at local hospitals if a survivor is brought to the hospital during your shift.
6. Commitment to volunteer with WOAR for at least 1 year.

If you are looking for an internship please refer to the About Internships page for additional information.