Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I become a volunteer?

Phone (519) 524.4108 or 1.866.863.4108 (toll free), e-mail shelleyl@victimserviceshuron.ca to have your questions answered.
Our screening process involves an application, a personal interview, police/CAS check, and personal reference check, to be accepted into the training portion of the program. After the 40 hour training is complete applicants will be selected to become a Crisis Responder.

2. How do I know that my “situation” won’t be talked about all over town?

All volunteers are required to take an Oath of Confidentiality. Violations of this oath will not be tolerated.

3. If I am a victim, how do I access the program?

You can call the office directly and receive phone support for the staff or we can meet with you in a safe place in the community to offer support. When there is police involvement, the officer will offer our service or you can ask for it from the officer. Emergency Services Personnel may also suggest the program. Volunteer Crisis Responders can attend at your home if the request has been made by the police and they will ascertain that it is a safe environment.

4. What sort of things can the volunteer crisis responders do?

They will provide immediate emotional and practical support and offer referrals. If necessary, they can help you contact family to be with you, and help you sort out what to do next. The volunteer crisis responders often take family members to the hospital after an incident, take women to an available shelter, or stay with families at the hospital while medical staff looks after injured loved ones.

5. What sort of commitment do you expect from volunteer Crisis Responders?

At the end of the training we ask the volunteer Crisis Responder commit to serving for a full year. We ask crisis responders be “on call” for a minimum of two-three 12 hour shifts per month. This means volunteers need to be available throughout the 12 hours to respond immediately to a page from the police. Volunteers can go about their daily business during the shift but need to remain in the county.

6. It sounds like it could be dangerous, is it?

We work very closely with the police and other emergency service personnel to make sure you are safe. If volunteer Crisis Responders are responding to a domestic, they will only attend if the offender is in custody. If the police feel it is an unsafe situation, crisis responders will not be sent out. They may meet the victim in the police detachment or at the hospital. If, for some reason, the situation changes, the police will notify the front line volunteers to leave immediately.

7. Why do you have to have access to a car?

Our volunteer crisis responders live all over the county and could be called out anywhere within our county. As it is possible that volunteer crisis responders could live some distance from each other, we ask they have a valid driver’s license, insurance and access to a car to respond to the location where support is requested.

8. How do the shifts work?

The shifts are 12 hours (8:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.) There is a team leader (also a volunteer crisis responder) and four volunteers Crisis Responders on each shift.  The county is split into North and South so we can reach the call destination within half of an hour. The police or other emergency services access the team leader who calls out the volunteer Crisis Responders. The team leader keeps track of where the volunteer Crisis Responders are at all times. If the volunteer Crisis Responders need answers to questions or any clarification on the situation, they can call back their team leader for support and information.

9. What if more people are needed or if I get sick and can’t go on a shift?

We keep a list of people we can call on very short notice. We realize that “life happens” and there may be times when you cannot fulfill your commitment.

10. What happens if a call comes in for a good friend of mine?

We suggest that you notify your team leader and asked to be replaced, as it could change the relationship you have with your friend.