Volunteers are the heart of the Rowan Center.
Volunteers can make a difference by working directly with clients on our 24-hour hotline, tabling at community awareness fairs, or helping in our office or at fundraising events.
Volunteer Advocate Opportunities
All direct service volunteers (hotline and community outreach) must successfully complete our Certification Training Program. Ages 18 and over.
Hotline Volunteering
In many cases, it’s our hotline volunteers who are a victim’s first point of contact with our agency. And it may be the first time a victim has ever spoken of their assault. For this reason, it’s critical we have dedicated and committed people working with us.
For more information, see our Hotline FAQ section below to learn if this is the right fit for you. Additional questions can be emailed to Raquel Lopez, Crisis Advocate Programs Administrator, at rlopez@therowancenter.org.
Community Outreach Volunteering
Community fairs and public awareness campaigns are also an excellent way to become involved with sexual violence prevention. Outreach is the core activity that allows the community to know about the services we have available for them.
General Volunteer Opportunities
Event Volunteering
Event Volunteering is a great way to help the Rowan Center without making a long-term commitment – and it’s a fun way for you to get to know us and what we do. No training needed. You can be part of one of our event committees or help us “the day of.” *Helping during events is a great way for youth to complete community service hours while raising awareness on an important cause.
Sexual Assault Crisis Advocate Training
This 40-hour certification training consists of individual modules on the appropriate topics conducted by staff members of The Rowan Center who are experts in their individual areas. Sessions contain readings, videos, guest speakers, site visits to both a hospital emergency room and local police station, role plays, group and individual exercises.
Upon completion of the course, you will have a better understanding on the topic of sexual violence and its effects on survivors and their family and friends. This course will prepare you for your role as a volunteer advocate with The Rowan Center and on our 24-hour crisis hotline. Training topics include: sexual violence 101, counseling, medical accompaniments, mandatory reporting procedures, crisis intervention, and medical/police accompaniments.
For information regarding training sessions, please contact Raquel Lopez, Crisis Advocate Programs Administrator, at rlopez@therowancenter.org.
Apply To Volunteer with the Rowan Center
Hotline F.A.Q.
We provide all of the training you will need to help victims of sexual violence and once you complete the 40 hour training course, you will be a state-certified Sexual Assault Crisis Advocate. No additional degree/training/experience is required.
To become a state-certified Sexual Assault Crisis Advocate Volunteer and work on the hotline you must be at least 18 years old.
Initially, to become a Sexual Assault Crisis Advocate Volunteer, you must complete a 40-hour training course. The training typically runs for 3 weeks. Sessions are usually held Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:30pm and Saturdays from 9:00am-2:00pm. To find out about our next training and tentative schedule, please contact Raquel Lopez, Crisis Advocate Programs Administrator, at rlopez@therowancenter.org.
If you are working on the hotline, we ask that you sign up for a minimum of four (4) shifts per month. To maintain certification, you must complete 6 additional hours of sexual violence training per year (July 1 – June 30).
You will need means of transportation, valid driver’s license and a phone that are available to you for those times when you are “on call”. You will not need to come to our office during your shift hours. The Rowan Center’s answering service will transfer the call to you. Nevertheless, many times you will need to answer a call that will require you travel to Greenwich, Norwalk or Stamford hospitals or to a local police station to support a victim. You will need to arrive to a location within 45 minutes of the call. As a reminder, The Rowan Center serves the following towns: Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton.
Certification Training is provided by The Rowan Center for a nominal fee to cover the cost of materials and background check. You will need to provide us with authorization to run a criminal background check. You will need to provide us with a picture of yourself so that we can create your Volunteer ID card. You will receive this ID upon completion of the training and once you have received your certification.
Several of our current employees joined the team after volunteering for The Rowan Center first.
