HOW TO VOLUNTEER  |  VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
 

Read about our Opportunities:

• 2-1-1 Ventura County?
• Youth Services?
• Child Abuse Prevention?
• Domestic Violence Services?
• Support Services/Administrative Services?
• Mental Health Services?

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• Provide crisis intervention to callers experiencing family or personal problems
• Provide social services information and community resources, directing callers to appropriate agencies/programs
• Some computer work required
• Located in Camarillo
• This program operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day
• 4 hour shifts are available throughout the day and night
• Approximately 30 hours of training is required
• Trainings are scheduled 3 times yearly
• Minimum commitment is 3 shifts per month for at least 6 months
• Volunteers will be fingerprinted and have a background clearance check

Disaster Response Volunteer

• During a disaster, helping to handle the overflow of calls that come in to 2-1-1 agencies such as the Red Cross, Ventura County Disaster Services, and other agencies (some training required)
• Volunteers must commit to a minimum of 1 or 2 shifts per month to maintain preparedness

2-1-1 Resource Directory Volunteer

• Research and gather information necessary to update the listings of agencies in The Blue Book Community Resource Directory
• Help process Blue Book orders
• Requires a 2-hour training

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Youth Services
Crisis Counselor/Youth Specialist

• Provide crisis intervention counseling to adolescents and families via the telephone, at police stations, in schools, at the Interface offices or at mutually agreed upon locations

• This is an on-call volunteer position and the program is available 24/7

• Requires training

Cool Home Program

• Provide temporary emergency shelter for youth ages 10-17 by providing a neutral "cooling off" site for youth during family disputes, conflicts and crises

• Weekday (M - F) commitment is evenings and overnight; weekend (Sa & Su) commitment is all day and night

• Can also serve as a shelter for runaway and throwaway youth

• Individual training is required

Children's Resource Program Case Manager

• Match professionals donating health, medical and dental services to low-income, uninsured, at-risk children

• Individual training is required

• Working from the Thousand Oaks office

• Must be bilingual (English/Spanish)

• Requires those who can volunteer to work a 2-hour or 3-hour shift, once or twice per week, between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm, M - F

Victim/Offender Reconciliation Program and Family Mediation

• Provide mediation services for parents and their teen(s); or mediate for juvenile offenders and their victims

• Team of 2 volunteers meet with involved parties and design an acceptable contract

• Two or three meetings required per mediation - usually accomplished within one month

• Can be very episodic

Santa Paula Family Resource Center

• Tutor students in an after-school program in Santa Paula

• Youth and adults are encouraged to apply

• Must be at least 14 years of age

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Child Abuse Prevention Services
Parenting Education

• Volunteers teach a 10-week, 2-hour parenting course in a variety of locations in Ventura County (Training and Materials are provided)

• Classes are for court mandated parents and parents who want to improve parenting skills

• Classes teach effective discipline techniques with children of all ages

• Currently all classes are taught in the evenings

• Volunteers must commit to 3-4 hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks

My Body Belongs To Me

• Personal safety/sexual abuse prevention program designed to empower children, aged 4-12 years, to protect themselves from sexual abuse and/or molestation

• Volunteers teach the 3-part sequence of safety

• Training materials provided

• Volunteers must commit to 2 hours per week up to a few hours per month

• Daytime availability required

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

• Provides children who are dependents of the court (due to abuse and neglect) a stable, consistent, and caring adult in their lives

• Volunteers must commit to a minimum of once per week contact with the child

• Volunteers become sworn officers of the Court and a strong advocate for the child

• 40-hour training required and provided twice yearly

• Volunteers must be 21 years old and commit to 12-18 months of volunteering to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

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Domestic Violence Services
All volunteers for this program must complete 40 hours of domestic violence training and are asked to commit 100 additional volunteer hours to the program. Volunteers may only begin working with clients once they obtain fingerprint clearance and complete the 40 hours of domestic violence training. Volunteer must maintain confidentiality regarding shelter location and client information.

Crisis Line Counselor/Program Support

• Provides immediate phone crisis intervention and assessment for shelter placement to women and children in abusive relationships

• Must have a working knowledge of available community resource using the 2-1-1 Ventura County Blue Book resource guide (training provided)

• When not answering calls, volunteer will provide clerical support to staff to ensure the continuity of services to the community

• Daytime hours only

• In-shelter position

Child/Youth Development Volunteer

• Works with children/youth in shelter in either groups or individually

• Conducts support groups for children/youth while mothers attend shelter/community groups

• Assists children/youth with homework to boost academic success

• Utilizes creative play to demonstrate healthy boundaries and communication tools

• Provides on-going safety evaluations of play equipment and toys in shelter

Group Development/Facilitation Volunteer

• Assesses current shelter dynamics with the help of staff to create in-house support groups for women

• Assists in planning and implementation of groups such as "Mommy and Me" (parent/child development), Life Skills, and others depending on need

• Locates activities and resources to utilize in groups

• This volunteer position is available to highly organized individuals who are comfortable facilitating small groups of people

Client Mentor/Advocate

• Assists adult client throughout her stay at the shelter by providing one-on-one mentoring and community advocacy and occasional transportation

• Helps client locate and connect with appropriate services

• Provides support in filling out and filing appropriate documentation/applications (Victims of Crime, Prop 10, CalWORKs, etc.)

• Volunteer must become familiar with the programs listed in item 3 and with California domestic violence laws (training provided)

• Volunteer must model healthy boundaries and communication styles with client

Community Outreach

• Assists Domestic Violence Division with education and outreach to the community (includes attending community events representing Domestic VIolence Services and Interface Children Family Services

• Assists staff in targeting community organizations and individuals that would benefit from domestic violence training

• Helps the Education Outreach Specialist prepare and conduct 40-hour and community trainings

Safe Journey Volunteer
Depending on the program needs, volunteers for Safe Journey work to support the transitional living program through the guidance of the Programs Manager

Family Violence Response Team Advocate

• Works with Interface Response Team coordinator providing 24/7 response to domestic violence calls when requested by law enforcement

• Volunteers must be willing to be available for weekend and weeknight shifts

• Volunteers will respond in teams to safe locations to provide crisis intervention and immediate needs assessment and referrals to victims

• Volunteers may also assist with follow-up advocacy including but not limited to restraining order assistance and court accompaniment

• Additional training will be provided

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Support Services/Administrative Services
Office Assistant

• Provides office support to administrative staff in the Camarillo office

• Episodic assistance needed putting training packets together, copying, preparing mailing, etc.

Volunteer Receptionist

• Works at front desk in the Camarillo office

• Receives all incoming calls and walk-in clients, identifies need and directs client to appropriate staff

• Assists with day-to-day organization of reception area

• Must be bilingual (English/Spanish)

• Must commit to 4 hours per week and be available for relief shifts when necessary

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Mental Health Services

Masters Level Field Placement Trainees

Masters Level field Placement Trainees are asked to provide minimum one (1) year of volunteer service with a minimum of 5 client hours, 2 supervision hours, 3 administrative hours. Volunteers enjoy opportunities for on-going training, multi-disciplinary collaboration and professional development. Opportunities include:

• Co-facilitate child sexual abuse victims groups

• Co-facilitate child domestic violence victim groups

• Co-facilitate community or shelter based domestic violence support groups

• Provide home or school based services

• Provide therapeutic services to individuals, children, youth and families

• Receive group/individual supervision provided by experienced/BBS approved MFT and LCSW clinical supervisors

• Participate in Parent Child Interaction Therapy training

• Provide community presentations on various topics

• Participate in collaborative professional environment

• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings with Juvenile Probation, Child Protective Services, Human Services Agency-Social Workers

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The following volunteer positions include 40 hours of Domestic Violence Training to be certified as a "domestic violence counselor." Domestic Violence Volunteers are asked to commit to one (1) year of service and a minimum of 100 volunteer hours of direct service.

Community Outreach

• Assists with education and outreach to the community through community events, community presentations to partnering agencies and organizations

• Provides domestic violence prevention training to identified community organizations

• Assists with preparation and facilitation of 40 Hour Domestic Violence Training for certification to be designated a "domestic violence counselor."

Client Mentor/Advocate

• Provides support, advocacy and service linkage to adult clients throughout stay at emergency shelter

Support Group Facilitator

• Co-facilitate shelter or community support group to domestic violence victims

• Assist in planning and implementation of groups such as "Mommy and Me" (parent/child development), Life Skills, Journaling, and others depending on need

Child/Youth Mentor/Advocate

• Co-facilitates shelter or community support group to child victims of domestic violence

• Assists child/youth with homework, reading and study skills

Crisis Line Counselor/Program Support

• Provides crisis intervention, information and referral to callers by phone

• Assist with callers request for emergency shelter of domestic violence victims

• Provide support to emergency shelter staff or Family Violence Response Team

• Daytime hours

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