Volunteer
Volunteers play a vital role in SARA’s mission to educate our community and assist and empower people who have experienced sexual violence. Our volunteer opportunities include Hotline Volunteers, Community Outreach Volunteers, Administrative Volunteers, and Group Volunteers.
Volunteer Menu
Hotline Volunteers
SARA's 24/7 hotline offers free and confidential support to survivors of sexual violence as well as secondary survivors (loved ones), allied professionals, and the general public. Hotline services include crisis intervention, risk assessment, safety planning, emotional support, information, and referrals.
Hotline volunteers help callers stabilize emotions, clarify issues, and provide support and assistance. SARA aims to empower callers with information to make their own choices and conduct their own healing process. ​
Requirements:
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18+ years old
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Application
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Interview
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Background & Reference-Check
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40-hour Crisis Services Training
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​Minimum volunteer commitment: 1-2 shifts/month. Shifts range from 4-12 hour blocks on weeknights, weekends, and holidays. Hotline volunteers must commit to the Hotline Volunteer role for at least 1 year.
​Crisis Services Training
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SARA trains staff and volunteers to provide crisis intervention and supportive services using the Professional Standards for Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Programs created by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
The goal of Crisis Services Training is for volunteers, staff, and interns to have a basic understanding and awareness of these concepts. Training methods include lecture, guest speakers, small group activities, and call simulation.
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Training Topics
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Confidentiality
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Definitions and Dynamics of Sexual Violence
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Definitions and Dynamics of Domestic Violence
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History of Sexual and Domestic Violence Movements
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SARA's Approach
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Trauma-Informed Care
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Individual and Systems Advocacy​
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Survivor-directed Services
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Adverse Childhood Experiences
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Crisis Response
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Safety Planning
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Suicide and Self-Inflicted Harm​
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Call Scenarios and Simulation
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Basic Advocacy Skills​​​​
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Civil and Criminal Justice Systems Processes
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Medical Information and Processes
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Making Appropriate Community Referrals
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Recordkeeping and Data Collection​
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Vicarious Trauma and Self-Care​​​
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Cultural Humility
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​How to Access and Work with Interpreters​​
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Spring 2025 - Crisis Services Training
The Spring 2025 Crisis Services Training will contain 8 sessions over 3 weeks.
Monday, May 26 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, May 28 5:30-8:30pm
Saturday, May 31 10:00-4:00pm
Monday, June 2 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, June 4 5:30-8:30pm
Monday, June 9 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, June 11 5:30-8:30pm
Saturday, June 14 10:00-4:00pm
Fall 2025 - Crisis Services Training
The Fall 2025 Crisis Services Training will contain 9 sessions over 8 weeks.
Wednesday, September 3 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, September 10 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, September 17 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, September 24 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, October 1 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, October 8 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, October 15 5:30-8:30pm
Wednesday, October 22 5:30-8:30pm
Saturday, October 26 10:00-4:00pm
Hotline Volunteer FAQs
If I’ve completed a hotline training elsewhere, do I still have to go through SARA’s training?
Yes, each hotline has different protocols, and we want to make sure volunteers are prepared to support survivors in our area with local resources and referrals. Some training content may be familiar, but a lot of things will be new, too! That said, we’d love to hear your perspective and experiences throughout training.
Can I take calls from home?
Yes! Our hotline system allows calls to be forwarded to your personal phone lines, so there is no requirement for volunteers to be at the SARA office while taking a hotline shift.
Do I have a support system as a volunteer?
Definitely. SARA staff serves on call 24/7 and is always available to debrief with you after hotline calls. Additionally, we work to maintain a community of all our volunteers and advocates. Call content can be heavy, and debriefing with others helps our volunteers maintain enthusiasm for the work. We host monthly meetings for our volunteers and advocates to connect with one another, process their work, and boost skills.
Will I receive a training manual?
Yes! We create a comprehensive manual that will include all your training materials and resources to access while taking hotline calls. This manual will be yours to keep.
Community Outreach Volunteers
Community Outreach Volunteers organize and participate in community awareness events and projects. As a Community Outreach Volunteer, you will team up with other people in our community who care about making positive change, and interact with community members at events, while also providing the necessary support for these events and projects to take place.
Participation in a 2-hour virtual volunteer orientation is required. Outreach Volunteers organize, execute, and participate in community awareness events; reach out to community organizations, both local and rural; table specific events; and promote the agency's vision and mission.
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Upcoming Outreach Trainings
Coming soon!
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You only need to attend one session to be an outreach volunteer. If there is expressed interest in alternative or additional training dates, changes can be made.
Administrative Volunteers
Administrative Volunteers assist with answering office phones, greeting clients, and completing office responsibilities and projects as needed. Availability for this type of volunteer is extremely limited and only on an as-needed basis.
Group Volunteers usually volunteer on a one-time or yearly basis and assist with a larger project in and around our office/community.
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Our capacity to host general requests for group volunteers is limited. Due to the nature of our work most volunteer opportunities require extensive training. Throughout the year, there are occasions when group support can be utilized for flyering in the community, support at events benefiting SARA, and organization of supplies in our storage space. As needs arise for in-person support, we will reach out to groups that have expressed interest via the Group Volunteer Interest Form linked below.
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If you have ideas on specific projects your group would like to conduct in support of SARA's work, we are all ears! We are typically looking for groups that are open hosting supply drives or fundraising events. If you are interested in hosting a fundraising event or supply drive, you can utilize the Fundraise for SARA toolkit linked below.
Group Volunteers
If you have any additional questions about volunteer opportunities, please email katie@saracville.org.