Supporting Victims of Crime-Crisis Response Advocate

Our next training will be held in October 2025. See the schedule below. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to become a volunteer!

Are you looking to build your resume, network with like minded individuals, and provide meaningful services to folks in need? Then this may be the perfect opportunity for you!

This unique volunteer experience provides valuable tools for navigating crisis and conflict by empowering and supporting survivors in the aftermath of abuse and trauma. Our volunteers often refer to their service with us as life changing. We are a small team of individuals from diverse backgrounds who embrace our mission of health, justice, and hope.

The Sexual Assault and Family Trauma Center, a program of Lutheran Community Services Northwest, hosts Spokane's only Certified and Accredited Community Sexual Assault Program (CSAP). Our program provides the following services confidentially and free of charge:

• Information and referral
• Legal advocacy
• Medical advocacy
• Crisis intervention & support
• Education & prevention
• Support groups

Our volunteer advocates assist survivors via a 24-hour support line that can be directed to volunteers at home (no need to sit in a call center) and medical advocacy, which is provided to victims in person at area hospitals when requested.

As a non-profit, we rely on our volunteers to provide services to survivors outside of business hours. We provide a comprehensive 40-hour training and certification free of charge, as well as ongoing supervision and 24-hour support for all our volunteers. We invest in our volunteer staff and in turn, we ask for a one-year commitment of service and four evening or weekend shifts per month. Applicants are thoroughly screened and vetted for service.

Core training is a 40-hour total class teaching a foundational understanding of sexual violence and basic skills for new sexual assault service providers. Core training is a certification that is required by the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy to work as a victims' advocate in Washington state.

October Core Schedule

• Monday, October 6th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
  • Orientation, Sexual Assault and Oppression
• Wednesday, October 8th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
  • Child Abuse and Confidentiality
• Saturday, October 11th, 9am-1pm, In-Person
  • Advocacy, Trauma-Informed Care, and Crisis Intervention
• Monday, October 13th
  • No Training Session
• Wednesday, October 15th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
  • Medical Advocacy
• Saturday, October 18th, 5:30pm-8pm, In-Person
  • Medical Advocacy Cont.
• Monday, October 20th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
  • Role Plays
• Wednesday, October 22nd, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
  • Legal Advocacy
• Monday, October 27th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
  • Self Care, and Policy and Procedure
• Wednesday, October 29th, 6pm-8pm, In-Person
  • Crisis Response Advocate Team Meeting Graduation

For more information, please contact our Volunteer Supervisor at (509) 343-5011 or email crisisresponseteam@lcsnw.org