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About SART

The purpose of SART is to provide survivors of recent sexualized assault with emotional support and information on the community resources available to them. This requires Support Worker volunteers to liaise with hospital and police staff (as requested by the survivor) to support the survivor in accessing the services of their choice. Support may be offered over the phone or in person at hospitals or urgent care clinics, any of the local police departments, or at the Victoria Sexual Assault Clinic (operated by VSAC). The Victoria Sexual Assault Clinic is the only fully integrated sexualized assault clinic in western Canada, meaning that a survivor can access support, medical services, and police reporting all at the Clinic.

VSAC Mission Statement

The Victoria Sexual Assault Centre is a feminist organization committed to ending sexualized violence through healing, education, and prevention.  We are dedicated to supporting women and all Trans survivors of sexualized assault and childhood sexualized abuse through advocacy, counselling, and empowerment.

Values of Victoria Sexual Assault Centre

• Communicating in a direct, caring, confidential, and honest manner, showing respect, gentleness, acceptance, and celebration of each other in all our diversity
• Each individual’s self-defined inner knowledge, empowerment, and right to dignity
• A safe, accessible, and effective Centre where folks can engage in healing from sexualized violence
• Social justice for all
• Enacting an anti-oppressive framework that acknowledges societal and systemic barriers and our own positions of power and dominance
• Being transparent and accountable to the community regarding how and why our policies and practices are determined, enacted, and altered

SART Volunteer Testimonials: Read SART Volunteer Testimonials

Training will be delivered via a combination of in-person and Zoom sessions, and through self-paced online modules.

SART Volunteer Support Worker Responsibilities

• Provide an immediate support response at the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre’s Clinic, hospitals or public clinics, and/or a police station to recent (0-30 days) survivors (all genders, 13+) of a sexualized assault, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day
• Provide phone support to survivors
• Provide information regarding medical and forensic examination procedures
• Provide information on options for reporting to police
• Liaise and consult with the Forensic Nurse Examiners (FNE) and the police (if involved)
• Provide information and support to family and friends of the survivor
• Provide information on follow-up support, such as Counselling or Victim Service support for the survivor
• For SART Volunteer Support Workers who are white, we request that you participate in our sessions called Unlearning white supremacy. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required 

• Knowledge of the root causes of sexualized violence
• Working knowledge of intersectional feminism
• Demonstrated respect for survivors of sexualized assault
• Ability to work comfortably with recent survivors of sexualized assault either in the hospital, clinic, or police station
• Ability to liaise with various community partners including police and hospital staff
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Proven communication skills
• Strong ability to give and receive feedback
• Time management skills and organized communication with other supports
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, and diplomacy skills
• Strong boundaries and self-awareness
• Basic understanding of the complex emotional reactions of sexualized assault survivors
• Flexibility to adapt in unpredictable situations
• Confidence to advocate for the survivor, if necessary
• Ability to listen compassionately and without judgement
• Demonstrated self-care practices
• To feel stable in your personal healing process
• Can commit to 2 and 1/2 months of intensive training
• Can commit to 3 shifts per month over 1 year after the completion of training (36 shifts)

Volunteering Conditions

• SART includes team members from Forensic Nurse Examiners and all Police Detachments. 
• VSAC volunteers work both independently and as part of the team. 
• Work will take place at the VSAC Clinic, Hospital, Police Station or other community agency in mixed indoor environments. 
• Volunteers will provide emotional support over the phone from their home on a VSAC-provided cell phone. 
• This position requires overnight shift work and being on call for between 8-16 hrs, carrying a pager. 
• Shifts are weeknights overnight and weekends

• A strong sense of purpose and meaningful contribution
• Enhanced active listening and empathetic communication abilities
• Boundary-setting and self-regulation skills
• Training grounded in social justice and trauma-informed practice
• Ongoing training events
• Build community connections
• Team-building skills
• Education on the intersectional root causes of sexualized violence
• Expanded cultural humility and ability to work across diverse identities
• Relevant experience for careers in social work, health care, psychology, education, law, or community advocacy
• Leadership opportunities (eg., facilitating groups, training new volunteers)