New Horizons Crisis Center
Volunteer/Advocacy Program

"ADVOCACY"
To plead another’s cause or argue or appeal earnestly for a cause,
to plead before an authority.

What Kind of Person can be a Volunteer/Advocate?

If you are interested in doing something to really help someone else, New Horizons is always seeking volunteers who may be interested in becoming advocates for victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault.

As a volunteer advocate, your contact with the victim is often brief–an interim period before she/he starts using other support systems. During your period of interaction, the victim is in a state of crisis. Therefore, to be an advocate, you need to be mature and emotionally stable. You must also be an individual who can absolutely maintain confidentiality.

As an advocate, your primary responsibilities during the period of time that you work with the victim are:

* Listen and believe what the victim is saying.

* Focus on the victim’s reaction to and feelings about the abuse or assault.

* Assist the victim in regaining a sense of control over her/his life.

* Support the victim - refrain from judging, blaming, or investigating the individual or the situation.

In addition to verbal support, the victim may need advocacy when she/he deals with police and with the medical and legal systems. Your role as a volunteer advocate is to support and provide options, and not to make decisions for her/him.

Training Requirements

Victim advocates must have 24 hours of domestic violence training in order to become Certified Domestic Violence Advocates.

To become Certified as Rape/Sexual Assault Counselors, Utah Law requires an additional 40 hours of training.

The training in and of itself does not guarantee acceptance as an advocate. Interviews and a background check are also required. New Horizons provides all training.

Advocate Job Descriptions (click on the links below)

Victim Advocate

Advocate Follow-up for Battered Women

Office Volunteer

Shelter Volunteer

Volunteer Program Application (click here to print a copy of the application)