Volunteer

Victim Services Lanark County is a community-based service that utilizes specially trained volunteers to deliver a variety of different programs such as crisis intervention, information and referral services to victims of crime and tragic circumstances 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Police and emergency personnel called to an occurrence will, with the consent of the victim, summon volunteer service providers for immediate, on-site, short-term crisis assistance. Victims are then referred to appropriate community agencies for additional support.

The Victim Services program is funded through the Victim Justice Fund and is intended to deliver services to all victims of crime and tragic circumstances.

Members of the Response Team are screened (including criminal record checks and reference checks) and professionally trained.

Many of our current members come from the human services professions; others have been victims of crime themselves, are now fully healed and want to give back.

Availability requirements for volunteers include providing at least three shifts a month to help cover gaps as they appear. All availability must be submitted to the Program Manager a full week in advance.

For each call, Response Team members are sent out based on availability and geographic location. All staff and volunteers always work in teams of two.  You may be responding with another volunteer or a staff member depending on the call, time of day / night, availability or other such factors.

You may be called to the scene of a sudden death, domestic violence, a motor vehicle collision, a house fire or you may be called to the hospital to support a victim of sexual assault, or violence. Where you go and what you do is as unique as the people involved.

Some volunteers may wish to assist our program in other ways (such as fundraising, events, and so on). While similar training and commitment is required, there are definite opportunities for this type of volunteering as well.

In order to be considered for the response team program you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age and have a working cell phone
• Be able to demonstrate sound judgment and team work skills
• Have access to a reliable vehicle and a valid driver's license
• Have no record of a criminal offence and satisfy CPIC requirements
• Commit to one year of active service
• Be ready and able to attend and successfully complete a comprehensive 40 hour training program.

In order to be considered for the fundraising and events program you must:

• Have parental or guardian consent if under the age of 18
• Be able to demonstrate sound judgment and team work skills
• Have access to transportation to and from events
• Commit to one year of active service
• Be ready to attend and successfully complete a comprehensive training program.

If this is something that you think you might be interested in exploring, please contact us at: info@victimserviceslanark.ca or submit an application using our Volunteer Now link.