Muskoka Parry Sound Sexual Assault Services has put out a call for volunteers.
Martina Cole with the organization says they’re in need of more people to man the organization’s 24/7 help line, as well as its online support chat.
“We lost 30 per cent of our volunteer base during the pandemic, which is really tough because we know that sexual assault, domestic violence was on the rise, [as well as] mental health,” says Cole, adding that more calls and chats have been coming in over recent months. “Losing those volunteers really set us back, because our volunteers who stayed on had to work extra hard, extra shifts.”
According to Cole, volunteers will receive 30 hours of training and a certificate on handling everything from relationship violence, self-harm, legal resources, and self-care across all genders.
“Sometimes a survivor’s first initial contact is with our help line. It is hard enough to even make that phone call and talk to somebody,” says Cole. “Our volunteers are there to listen, they’re there to support, and they’re there to refer to our agency or other community agencies within our area, depending on their situation and what they’re going through at the time. So I would say our volunteers are extremely important to our agency, and to our community too.”
Because of the nature of the work, Cole says they make sure to support their volunteers as best they can. That includes debriefing calls, and checking-in personally to make sure they’re doing okay. “You can’t support somebody if you’re not being supported as well,” she says.
Cole says volunteers are the backbone of the agency, and they’ve had people from all walks of life sign on. That includes students looking to build experience or resumes, survivors of sexual violence, or just kind-hearted people who want to help out.
“If you want to learn more about sexual assault and gender-based violence in your community, reach out,” says Cole. “If you feel like you’re an empathetic person and that you could really be a good support to somebody. If you want to just improve your listening and support skills, or if you’re a survivor yourself. Or you just want to help in the community in some capacity, I would say reach out. It is as easy as giving me a phone call or sending me an email.”
She adds they’re also recruiting volunteers for events such as their upcoming fundraiser at the Huntsville Legion on Nov. 4. It’ll feature music from the Mighty Lopez Band, and admission is pay-what-you-can with $20 recommended.
You can reach Cole to volunteer at 705-646-2122 or [email protected]. The 24/7 support line is 1-800-461-2929 and the online chat can be found here.