POV enlists the help of volunteers who answer our 24-hour hotline, provide support to victims/survivors, and educate youth and adult community members.

Training and supervision are provided for all volunteers. Each program answers specific community needs and has defined requirements for participation. Peace Over Violence serves a large monolingual Spanish-speaking population, as well as people who are deaf and/or hard of hearing. Volunteer candidates who are bilingual in Spanish or American Sign Language are strongly encouraged to join.

JOIN OUR 2023 INFORMATION SESSION FOR COUNSELOR ADVOCATES & Violence Prevention Specialists, RSVP TODAY.

Counselor Advocate Volunteers

24-Hour Crisis Hotline & Emergency Response

Volunteer Counselor Advocates provide emotional support, advocacy, information and referrals via the 24-hour L.A. Rape and Battering Crisis Line and respond to designated SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) centers. Counselor Advocates also respond to local hospitals and law enforcement agencies to provide immediate crisis intervention services and support to sexual assault and domestic violence survivors and significant others.

Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART)

Counselor Advocates in the DART program work closely with designated law enforcement personnel to act as secondary responders to domestic violence calls. Counselor Advocates will assist survivors and children with immediate crisis intervention, restraining orders, shelter placement, resources and advocacy. DART volunteers undergo extensive training and are part of the POV Emergency Response Team.

 

Benefits

  • Become a trauma-informed counselor advocate

  • Provide direct services to survivors via our 24-hour hotline or respond in person

  • Help strengthen community partner relationships

  • Gain enhanced knowledge on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Child Sexual Abuse, Intimate Partner Stalking, and other topics relating to violence

  • Become a representative of a nationally recognized organization

  • Give back to communities impacted by violence

 

Requirements

  • Commitment to one full year of service

  • Be 18 years of age or older

  • Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and insurance

  • Must live in LA County. Prefer community members from Metro LA or West San Gabriel Valley

  • Must pass an LAPD or POV criminal background check

 

Violence Prevention Specialists

Violence Prevention Specialists provide education about gender-based violence and strategies for prevention to youth, community groups, and professionals. VPS are experts who excel at community speaking, outreach tabling events, and workshop/training facilitation. Volunteers also help in organizing public awareness campaigns such as Denim Day, a sexual violence education campaign that takes place during April – Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and also active in October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

As POV Ambassadors, VPS Volunteers work closely with the POV’s prevention division and training department presenting in the community on additional topics that include sexual assault, rape prevention education, sexual harassment, relationship violence, and building healthy relationships.

Benefits

  • Experience expert training focused on developing a thorough understanding of the underlying societal and cultural factors that give rise to sexual, domestic, and teen dating violence as well as identifying the nexus of domestic violence and gang violence, tools for youth empowerment, and how to engage men in the movement

  • Learn and develop skills on preventing violence and building healthy communities, while strengthening your public speaking skills.

  • Become a leader and beacon in your community, network with community partners and connect with other passionate individuals

Requirements

  • Completion of the 45 hour training (duration is subject to change) which includes reading of all training materials with the goal of presenting violence prevention information to various community groups

  • Attendance at all training sessions is mandatory (participants may only miss one session)

  • Agreement with Peace Over Violence’s Statement of Goals and Philosophy and to that end, recognize that upon satisfactory completion of the training and during any VPS activity, you are a representative of POV

  • Compliance with paperwork requirements (sign-in sheets, etc.)

  • Dedicate 108 hours to Peace Over Violence during this year-long commitment - including daytime, evening, and weekend availability

  • Upon completing this training, volunteers will meet for a monthly in-service on the 3rd Monday of each month: 6:30 pm-7:30 pm

  • Upon satisfactory completion of this training and a one-year commitment, either in presentations or program support, participants will be certified by Peace Over Violence as Violence Prevention Specialists

Please send completed application to advocates@peaceoverviolence.org.

 

Voices Over Violence Volunteers

POV often gets requests from the community for survivors to speak about their experiences to educate the public about the realities of interpersonal violence. Our speakers bureau, Voices Over Violence, is a group of individuals willing to share and discuss in an open and educational way their experiences with sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Speakers are able to address common myths surrounding violence, resources, and the healing process through presentations, panel discussions, and media interviews. 

 

Youth Over Violence Leadership Institute

A leadership development program for high school and college students. The institute and internship offers training in a variety of areas. Students are taught how to create and organize violence prevention programs/activities on their campuses. YOV Training works in diverse areas including designing social media campaigns and public service announcements, advocacy for anti-violence legislation and school policy, and organizing youth conferences designed to educate young people on healthy, violence-free lifestyles.

 

 

POV Legal Advocacy Services: Pro Bono Opportunities

The Pro Bono Program at POV offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities for attorneys, recently retired attorneys, post bar grads, law grads, students, post-bar grads and other volunteers. Our volunteers make a huge difference in the lives of POV clients and are essential to the provision of legal services to the community.