Women’s Center Needs Volunteers

DANBURY — The Women’s Center is screening candidates for the spring dual Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Certification program.

The 44-hour training certifies volunteers to perform crisis intervention at the center during business hours or from home when the center is closed. It is a prerequisite for court advocate, counselor advocate, group facilitator, and other advanced volunteer positions. Evening training begins Tuesday, March 8, and meets weekly to mid-May.

The Women’s Center responded to more than 1,600 sexual assault and domestic violence hotline calls, in addition to providing emergency shelter, counseling services, advocacy services, community education and prevention programs, and information and referral services in 2010. More than 19,000 clients in the greater Danbury area, including Newtown, were served last year by the center.

There is a $20 per person training fee to help defray the cost of the manual, and a background check is required.

Call 203-731-5200, extension 202, for more information and to register for training. Male and bilingual volunteers are especially needed.