DEAR SUN SPOTS: Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services is looking for volunteer advocates to respond to its 24-hour crisis and support line and make a difference in the lives of people affected by sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, stalking or sexual harassment.
Volunteer advocates listen and provide support, information, and referrals to people calling for assistance. Calls can require supporting someone through a difficult memory of childhood sexual abuse, providing support and education about available resources, or accompanying a caller to a local hospital or police station when the survivor chooses to use these resources.
Volunteer advocates receive extensive training and support to prepare them for effectively responding to callers. The training provides insight and information in the areas of sexual harassment, stalking, child sexual abuse, sexual assault and the challenges faced by survivors and their supporters. Volunteers are taught the various options and resources available for survivors of all ages in our communities and learn crisis intervention and advocacy skills with special emphasis placed on the importance of self care.
Volunteer advocates are notified of calls that need to be responded to through their cell phones from the answering service, allowing them to be on call from their homes and choose from a variety of scheduling options. A stipend is available for volunteer advocates who cover evening, weekend and holiday shifts.
Volunteer advocates must be over the age of 18, empathetic and dependable with access to reliable transportation. All potential volunteers must complete the training and a screening process which includes criminal and DHHS background checks. No prior experience is necessary.
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services serves Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties. Services include the 24-hour help line, accompaniment to local hospitals, law enforcement and court proceedings; individual advocacy; and support groups. It also provides prevention education to local schools on a variety of topics including Internet/technology safety, healthy relationships, sexual assault, and sexual abuse prevention. To learn more about services available through SAPARS, visit our website at www.sapars.org.
To learn more about becoming a volunteer advocate, please contact Justine Plourde at 207-754-5523. The next training will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 16 in Lewiston.
Use the QR code to go to Sun Spots online for additional information and links. This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com, tweeted @SJ_SunSpots or posted on the Sun Spots facebook page at facebook.com/SunJournalSunSpots. This column can also be read online at sunjournal.com/sunspots. We’ve joined Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/sj_sunspots.
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