September 15th Volunteer Counselor Info Meeting

Sexual Assault Support Services

SCHENECTADY, NY (09/07/2010)(readMedia)-- Are you a compassionate person who wants to make a difference in the community? If you are willing to make a commitment as a volunteer counselor, Sexual Assault Support Services of Fulton and Montgomery counties will provide you with free training.

Join us 5:30 p.m.,Wednesday, September 15th at Vandeline's Restaurant in Broadalbin for refreshments and information. Find out if serving as a volunteer counselor is right for you.

As a volunteer you will learn the psychological aspects of sexual assault/abuse, effective counseling techniques, and how to assist survivors of sexual assault and their families using crisis intervention skills. Get a behind-the-scenes look at hospital emergency room (ER) medical procedures for sexual assault evidence collection. Get an insider's view of the criminal justice system (court), which prosecutes sexual assault perpetrators.

When the 30-hour comprehensive training program is completed, volunteer counselors help staff the 24-hour Hotline. As a volunteer you are not sitting at a call center waiting for the phone to ring. You will receive a crisis hotline pager for use when you are "on call." This gives you flexibility to go about your busy personal schedule, yet ensures quick response to crisis hotline calls.

As a volunteer you will provide crisis counseling to survivors of sexual assault, give information and referrals. Volunteers may meet sexual assault victims at the ER and accompany them to court when advocacy is requested.

Are you interested in giving back to the community as a Sexual Assault Support Services team member? New volunteer training begins soon.

Please contact Fulton County: Pam Hyde at 518.736.1925 or phyde@nycap.rr.com; Montgomery County: Veronica Parks at 518.842.0285 or v.parks@ppmhchoices.org

Sexual Assault Support Services is a program of Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson