Volunteer To Help Domestic Violence Victims In Essex County – Patch.com

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens announced Tuesday that once again, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (ECPO) will be training volunteers to assist victims of domestic violence.

The next session will start on Tuesday, May 18. The ECPO is offering an 80-hour basic course. It will meet virtually every week for three hours starting at 6 p.m. The advanced course, which is an additional 40 hours, will be offered in fall 2021 at a date to be announced later.

Seats are still available. Members of the public who want to work with victims are invited to enroll.

The basic course will include presentations and interactive exercises on such topics as the nature of catastrophe, assisting underserved victim populations (part I), crisis intervention and crisis counseling, the spiritual dimension of trauma, diversity and cultural aspects of criminal victimization, crime victim/legal advocacy, effective communication skills, ethics and professionalism, the effects of trauma on an individual’s developmental stages, local area resources and networks, and the criminal and family court processes.

The training is a time-intensive but rewarding experience that will prepare you to effectively assist and advocate for victim/survivors of intimate partner assault, sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, trafficking, cyber-crimes, as well as survivors of homicide victims.

Class participants include members of local area churches, mosques, synagogues, municipal police departments and their response teams, social service and emergency agencies, fraternal organizations, and other allied organizations located in greater Essex County.

Successfully completing the training program is not only a way to help those in crisis but is also an opportunity to join a helping community of dynamic people.

For More Information – The basic course (80 hours) will begin on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Each class will meet virtually once per week on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. The advanced course (40 hours) will begin in the fall, 2021 on a date yet to be determined. You must complete the basic course or have completed no less than 40 hours of domestic violence training to attend the advanced course. Application packets are available online at www.njecpo.org (click on the “What’s New” tab). Return the application packet with all necessary signatures and notarized to EssexVW@njecpo.org by May 17, 2021. For more information, call 973-621-4689 during normal business hours or visit our office website at www.njecpo.org.