The Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault will be hosting a 40-hour Sexual Assault Advocacy Training in October. PAVSA is seeking kind, responsible and compassionate people who are interested in working with victims of sexual violence.

Our advocacy program is the heart of our work at PAVSA. Trained advocates accompany victims to the hospital for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner exams, or answer our 24-hour crisis line to talk with victims/survivors or their friends and family. A volunteer may provide either crisis line or hospital advocacy, or both if they so choose. We ask that our volunteers commit to taking 2-3 shifts per month.

The training will be held at the Building for Women on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25, with an additional full day of training on Sunday, Oct. 21. The full day of training will include lunch and tours of the emergency departments at both hospitals. There will be 36 in-person training hours with an additional 4 hours to be completed on outside activities and homework assignments.

Volunteering as an advocate for PAVSA is extremely rewarding, provides a way to give back to your community, and offers valuable work experience to those who work or are planning to work in a human service profession. Abbreviated professional trainings are also available for those not interested in volunteering for PAVSA. If you are interested in becoming an advocate for PAVSA, please feel free to contact Meghan at 218-726-1442. You may fill out a volunteer application at http://pavsa.org/pdfs/Volunteer_Application090612_rev2.pdf and return it to PAVSA at 32 E 1^st Street, Suite 200, Duluth, MN, 55802.