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Opportunity Details

2019 Teen Group Facilitator

A facilitator for our Warriors Youth Group works with one of the youth advocates in developing and presenting workshops for the teens, guiding conversations on subjects ranging from personal relationships to politics to pop culture, supervising during field trips, promoting the group within the community, and brainstorming new ways of balancing fun and life skills education. The Warriors Youth Group is mixed-gender and serves teens aged 12-17 years.

Previous experience with children or teens is desired but not required.

Why It Matters
Current research shows that, in the US, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience some form of abuse from an intimate partner. Domestic violence has a reciprocal relationship with other forms of abuse of power, such as racism, transphobia, and ableism, and it is the primary cause of homelessness among women. It impacts not only the well-being of an individual but also the family, the community, and society as a whole. Because domestic violence is so prevalent, it comes up in areas outside of domestic violence agencies: hospitals, therapists’ offices, substance use recovery programs, homelessness, schools, families, friend groups, corporate workplaces, law enforcement, etc.

Benefits

  • Understanding of domestic and gendered violence in both the personal and broader political contexts
  • Skill development in crisis intervention
  • Skill development in peer support, emotional support, healthy boundaries, and other interpersonal skills
  • Being a safer, more effective ally for survivors both professionally and personally
  • Being a safer, more effective support person for at-risk teens
  • Knowledge of local resources
  • Opportunity for academic credit, work experience, and other benefits for future educational or employment options

Requirements

  • Be 18 years or older*
  • Have not received domestic violence services as a participant with Walnut Avenue for a minimum of two years
  • Attend a Walnut Avenue volunteer orientation
  • Pass a fingerprinting/criminal background check
  • Completion of the 40+ hour advocacy certification training
  • Participation in our 24-hour hotline service
  • Familiarity with current pop culture
  • Awareness and acceptance of personal identities which are queer, neurodivergent, non-white, or other social minority
  • An email which is checked regularly
  • Bilingual Spanish encouraged but not required

*The Warriors Youth Group strives to provide appropriate adult support for teens without encouraging a “parental” atmosphere.

Time Commitment

  • Commitment to 12 consecutive months of service
  • One weekly hotline shift (9am-5pm or 5pm-9am), taken anywhere you have phone reception and the option for privacy
  • One monthly professional development/supervisory meeting, attended in person (first Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30pm)
  • Attend the youth group every Thursday from 5:30-7pm
  • Attend once-weekly facilitator meetings

Associated Costs

  • Certification training with commitment to 12 months: $50 materials fee
  • Certification training without commitment to 12 months: $250
  • Background check for volunteers providing services for children and teens: $102, with option for reimbursement after 3 months of service

If cost is a barrier for you, please contact the community engagement coordinator to discuss your options without judgment at mcoffey@wafwc.org.

To Get Started
The first step is to attend a volunteer orientation at Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center, which happen about twice a month/every two weeks. To hear upcoming dates and times and to register for the one which works best for you, please call our office at (831) 426-3062. If you have any questions or concerns about this process, you may visit our site at www.wafwc.org or contact our community engagement coordinator, Marjorie Coffey (they/them), at mcoffey@wafwc.org.


It is the policy of Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center to provide equal employment, volunteer opportunities and services to participants (EEO) to all persons regardless of ancestry, age, color, national origin, disability (physical and mental, includes HIV and AIDS), genetic information, race, religion (includes religious dress and grooming), gender, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military or veteran, request for FMLA or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

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Family Services, Children & Youth Education
Families
Caring for People,Mentoring/Youth Development

Age Minimum (with Adult): 18+, Minimum Age:18+

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Contact the Volunteer Center

1740 17th Ave
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Phone: 831-427-5070
connect@scvolunteercenter.org

©2017 Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, an affiliate of the HandsOn Connect, 1740 17th Ave | Santa Cruz, CA 95062

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