– Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency (WIRC-CAA) Victim Services, a local non-profit agency that assists survivors of domestic/sexual violence, is calling for trained crisis response volunteers in order to help survivors in their service area. Per requirements by the State of Illinois, all crisis volunteers must complete special training. Victim Services is once again offering the crisis intervention training course needed by volunteers in order to meet state requirements.
The non-credit course, taught by staff members of Victim Services, will cover topics such as types of abuse; rape culture; safety planning; working with child survivors; dating violence; listening skills; the cycle of violence; medical and legal advocacy; and more.
Classes for the spring 2021 semester will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. beginning Thursday, February 25. The course is expected to conclude in mid-April, although instructors may schedule one Saturday session in order to complete training earlier. While state guidelines permit, the class will be held in-person. All attendees must wear a facial covering and follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) physical distancing guidelines. In addition, attendees will have their temperature checked and be asked a few basic health screening questions. As the location of Victim Services is kept confidential in order to protect the safety of staff and clients, classes will be held at the WIRC-CAA Main Office, 133 West Jackson Street, Macomb, Illinois.
The cost for the course is $100 for students and community members ages 18 and up, and $150 for working professionals. Class size is limited. The registration deadline is Monday, February 22, 2021 at 4:00 p.m., or when the class is full. To register or learn more information, call Victim Services at (309) 837-6622.
Victim Services also needs individuals interested in volunteering for non-direct service opportunities throughout the year, including Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities in April. Individuals available to give an hour or two a month for awareness activities may call the Volunteer Coordinator at (309) 837-6622.
Victim Services provides free and confidential services in a safe environment with knowledgeable staff members who are ready to provide emergency services, advocacy, counseling, professional training, and public education. For more information, call (309) 837-6622, visit wirpc.org, or find “WIRC-CAA Victim Services” on social media. If you have experienced abuse at any point in your life, or if you think someone you know is being abused, call the 24-hour free and confidential crisis hotline at (309) 837-5555.
***Report Courtesy of Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency (WIRC-CAA) Victim Services***
