*Must be 18 or older to apply*
It takes volunteers – WOAR was born out of volunteerism. Your help is vital to WOAR’s operations. Many survivors seek our therapy services after speaking with one of our volunteers, so please consider joining our volunteer support team.
As a WOAR Volunteer Sexual Assault Counselor, you provide crucial support and advocacy to individuals who have experienced sexual violence through our 24/7 crisis hotline. In addition to supporting the 24-hour hotline, our Volunteer Sexual Assault Counselor virtually (until WOAR is safely able return to providing this service in-person) advocate for victims/survivors who are seeking medical attention at Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) at 300 E. Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124.
WOAR needs volunteers to staff our 24 Hour Sexual Assault Hotline to provide support:
- Days
- Nights
- Weekends
What is The Time Commitment?
Once you have been trained (we provide free training), we like our volunteers to commit to between 6-8 hours per month helping to staff our 24 Hour Sexual Assault Hotline.
Is Training Available?
Volunteers must participate in a 40-hour training course to become a Volunteer Sexual Assault Counselor. The course is in a group setting consisting of presentations, videos, readings, and role-playing. You will learn about the sexual violence continuum, court proceedings, the forensic rape exam, crisis counseling skills, and WOAR’s services. After the course, you will listen in on hotline calls before doing them on your own. All sessions must be attended. The training course is offered 3 times per year, on a first-come first-served basis and is limited to 25 people per course.
If you are a survivor who has received services at WOAR, please wait 2 years before applying to be a hotline volunteer.
Volunteer Sexual Assault Counselor courses offered:
- Winter session begins in January. Application deadline is November 1.
- Spring session begins in June. Application deadline is April 1.
- Summer session begins in August. Application deadline is June 1.
Important Information About Volunteering with WOAR:
- Must 18 years or older to be a volunteer on the hotline.
- If you are a survivor who has received services at WOAR, we respectfully request that you wait 2 years before applying to be a hotline volunteer.
- Minimum 1 yearcommitment to volunteer with WOAR.
- Commit to a minimum of 6-8 hotline hours per month, including a minimum of 8 overnight hours every two months.
- Hotline shifts are evenings, overnights, and weekends.
- Sign up for volunteer shifts online is on a first come, first served basis.
- You must complete the training course before you can volunteer on the hotline.
- Hotline calls are taken from the volunteer’s home so you can attend to other tasks when you’re not on a call.
- Volunteers provide virtual crisis advocacy for victims and survivors at Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) during their hotline shifts.
Thank you for your interest in becoming a WOAR Volunteer! Please click the button below to sign up. You will be asked to upload your resume with the sign up form.
If you have questions about other volunteer opportunities, please contact Genet Arayaio at Genet@woar.org with the subject “Crisis Volunteer.”
