Make a difference for survivors of sexual & domestic abuse: Join HAVEN's Volunteer Advocate team!

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Looking to make a difference in the lives of those women, men, people of all genders and identities, youth and families affected by sexual & domestic violence and stalking? Join our team of trained HAVEN Advocates in the NH Seacoast!

HAVEN, formerly known as A Safe Place and SASS, is one of the largest violence prevention and support services crisis agency in the state. HAVEN is dedicated to addressing public health through violence prevention and improving the well-being of children and families. Preventing abuse and providing support for those impacted by domestic and sexual violence can lead to healthier and more secure children and adults.

With an extensive service area, the agency relies on a team of dedicated staff and volunteers to who work in all capacities to support it's mission to end violence and change lives. As a volunteer advocate, you will serve as a confidential source of support and information for those affected by sexual and domestic violence through our 24-hour hotline. In addition, advocates accompany survivors to the hospital directly after an assault has occurred or to the police station to report a crime.

If you wish to become a client services advocate, you are required to complete a 35-hour training that will prepare you to provide crisis counseling, support and advocacy. Through training, you will learn how to actively listen to clients’ needs, appropriately support them in a time of crisis and connect them with the resources that can best meet their needs. You will also be trained to help identify and examine the options that a survivor has at each of the different stages of healing.

You are not required to have any previous training in crisis work, only a strong desire to help those in need of services and a positive attitude. People of all walks of life encouraged to apply!

Volunteers are "on-call" from their homes on nights and weekends, and are required to cover at least 3 hotline/ hospital accompaniment shifts per month for a minimum of one year.

Volunteers may also do daytime advocacy in one of our 3 office locations (Portsmouth, Rochester and Salem NH). This could include answering the hotline, meeting with clients one to one, and providing accompaniment to court, to Child Advocacy Center interviews, or to hospitals. HAVEN offers a great deal of support and guidance to volunteer advocates, both in our offices and on night and weekend shifts.

There are 3 advocacy trainings per year: February, June, and September.

Upcoming Volunteer Advocate Training:

• The Advocate Training will be a combination of a self-paced 16-20 hours of course work through a rich, engaging, virtual training platform and one weekend of an in-person intensive practicum, which is mandatory. We ask that trainees complete the virtual portions of the training prior to the weekend intensive. Trainees will have several weeks to complete this prior to the in-person portion. Location of the in-person intensive weekend is to be determined.
• The in-person portion will take place in Spring 2024 on June 8 & 9. (9 AM-5 PM both days).
• For more information on volunteering with HAVEN and to formally apply go to: https://havennh.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/