You could help someone through the worst day of their life.
That’s the message from Executive Director of Victim Services of Renfrew County Lisa Oegema. She says they’re looking for crisis response volunteers who would be trained to assist people who’ve just experienced a situation of crisis. The training would help volunteers learn about crisis intervention, active listening and understanding trauma. Oegema also says that volunteers would learn skills that would relate to the kinds of situations they would be put in.
As for prerequisites, she says that applicants must be 19 years of age or older, they must have a driver’s license with access to a vehicle, they must be able to successfully pass a criminal background check and genuinely want to make a difference in their community.
Their training program happens twice a year and volunteers are placed on a 5-week rotation that is scheduled 6 months in advance. Oegema says that volunteers are consulted and states that they try to accommodate each volunteers’ schedule depending on their availability.
This experience comes with many advantages, she says it’s a great way for people to learn and gain knowledge on something they can use in their everyday lives. On the flip side, it’s internally gratifying to know that you have made a difference in someone else’s life that is going through a hard time. “It’s the concept of neighbours helping neighbours” she says.
For more information on Victim Services of Renfrew County and how to become a volunteer, click here.