Overview of Volunteer Positions

If more than one option sounds appealing, you may volunteer in as many programs as you like! Alternatively, you may start with one program and then transition to a different one once you complete your time commitment.

Additional Info

  • People aged 17 or younger may volunteer in our Youth Advisory Council. All other programs require a volunteer to be aged 18 or older.

  • As a nonprofit, our Board of Directors is composed of volunteers. If you would like more information about joining our board, please reach out at info@wafwc.org.

  • “Development” volunteers work with our development director on fundraising and building relationships with donors. For more information, please contact Sarah Hirshland (she/her) at shirshland@wafwc.org.

  • If you would like to volunteer as a group with your friends or family, you have a few options:

    • Everyone over the age of 18 is welcome to participate as a domestic violence advocate (see below)

    • For groups with young people, please contact Sarah Hirshland at shirshland@wafwc.org to learn more about the annual she.is.beautiful fundraising event!

Domestic Violence Advocate

Department | Advocacy & Prevention
Program | Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence

Advocates provide crisis intervention, emotional support, domestic violence education, and resource information to survivors and their allies using peer counseling techniques on our 24-hour helpline.

Advocates may choose to participate in additional forms of service:

  • Legal advocacy / court services

  • Teen services

  • Space for Change (restorative justice)

  • Survivor support group facilitation

Weekly time commitment: variable
Length of commitment: 12 months
Training required: domestic violence certification training

Youth Advocate

Department | Advocacy & Prevention
Program | Services for Children & Youth

Youth advocates provide a prosocial opportunity for teens to engage around healthy, unhealthy, and abusive relationships as well as more general life skills. Youth advocates facilitate the weekly teen group and often bring group workshops to local middle and high school classrooms.

Weekly time commitment: 2-5 hours
Length of commitment: 12 months
Training required: you may pick either the youth advocacy training or domestic violence certification training.

Kids Club Volunteer

Department | Advocacy & Prevention
Program | Services for Children & Youth

Kids Club volunteers provide childcare for children aged 11 or younger while their parent attends a support group or meets with an advocate. Crafts, toys, games, and snacks are all provided.

Weekly time commitment: 2 hours
Length of commitment: 6 months
Training required: N/A

Housing case navigators are assigned to one or two families in our Housing & Employment Program as case managers. They assist in securing housing and income to maintain stability.

Weekly time commitment: 8-10 hours
Length of commitment: 12 months
Training required: you may choose to complete either the domestic violence certification training or, with the agreement of the program coordinator, complete a shorter one-on-one training with an advocate.

Housing Case Navigator

Department | Advocacy & Prevention
Program | Housing & Employment Program

FSS Volunteer

Department | Advocacy & Prevention
Program | Family Support Services

Family support services (FSS) volunteers manage our weekly food pantry services and the donations that Walnut Avenue receives, ensuring that supplies are made available to the survivors and families we serve.

Training required: N/A

Youth Advisory Council

Department | Advocacy & Prevention
Program | Services for Children & Youth

People aged 14-17 make up our Youth Advisory Board, which advises our youth advocates on how to improve our services for teens, proposes new projects and events centered around teens, and develops the annual Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month campaign. This program may satisfy high school graduation requirements.

Training required: N/A