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Descriptions of Volunteer Positions

Hotline Volunteer

Qualifications: Sensitivity to the issues of violence and abuse towards women and children. Hotline volunteers must be 18 years of age or older, have the ability to work with women and children in a non-judgmental and supportive way. It is preferred that volunteers have an awareness of the social/ political aspects of violence and feminist principles. Must have reliable transportation and telephone. Commitment to covering scheduled hotline shifts. Successful completion of Caring Unlimited’s 40 hour volunteer training is necessary before covering hotline.

Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator

Duties and Responsibilities: Returning all calls forwarded by the answering service by beeper or at your home phone during your shift. Provide support and information as well as making appropriate referrals for callers. Transporting women and children to shelter when necessary. Meeting women and children coming into shelter, welcoming them and completing all intake information. Provide and update CU with a current Declarations page for proof of auto insurance. Seeking information and support from staff backup when necessary. Maintain statistical information as necessary.

Hours: Shifts are during the hours of: 9am-1pm, 1pm-5pm, 5pm-9am Monday thru Friday. On weekends, shifts are Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm or 5pm-9am the following morning. Some holiday coverage may be requested as well. Volunteers are asked to make a one-year commitment and complete two to four shifts a month.

Caring Unlimited Provides:

  • Comprehensive 40 hour Volunteer Training Program
  • Staff person for backup during all shifts
  • Support and contact on a monthly basis by the Volunteer coordinator
  • Additional training opportunities
  • Reimbursement for phone calls and mileage

It is ESSENTIAL that the hotline be answered at all times; therefore, if you are unable to fulfill your scheduled hotline shift, it is important that you find a replacement from the call list and notify the volunteer coordinator with one week’s notice.


Court Watch Monitor

Purpose: To help ensure that our criminal justice system effectively protects victims of domestic violence and holds their abusers appropriately accountable by observing court cases and recording significant court process and outcome data necessary to track individual cases and to identify important trends in the justice system’s response to domestic violence crimes.

Qualifications: Must possess sensitivity to issues of domestic violence as well as an interest in community activism that increases safety for victims and accountability for abusers within the criminal justice system; successful completion of Caring Unlimited six-hour Court Watch Monitor Training and Orientation; be 18 years of age or older and have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

Reports to: Caring Unlimited Community Response Coordinator

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Successfully complete six-hour training and orientation
  • Demonstrate understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence
  • Follow Caring Unlimited Court Monitor Guidelines
  • Reliably attend scheduled court proceedings at least one shift per month
  • Reliably complete all monitoring paperwork and meet with CU staff to debrief about court watch observations and monitoring experiences
  • Represent Caring Unlimited in a professional manner consistent with CU Volunteer policies and guidelines

Location: Monitoring takes place at Maine District Court in Biddeford and Superior Court in Alfred. Post-monitoring debriefing sessions take place at Caring Unlimited offices in Sanford.


Kidworker

Qualifications: Sensitivity to issues of violence toward women and children. Willingness to interact positively with children from a variety of social backgrounds. Ability to model appropriate behavior and communication. Become familiar with, and uphold the policies and procedures of Caring Unlimited. Demonstrate ability to establish supportive and caring one-to-one relationships with children. Successfully complete 6-8 hour Kidworker Training. Maintain ongoing contact with supervisor.

Supervisor: Children’s Services Coordinator

Duties and Responsibilities: The volunteer will provide meaningful child care and supervision for children ranging in age from infancy through adolescence. Meaningful child care includes providing nurturing, esteem-building activities along with sensitive, non-judgmental listening. Meaningful child care must always be safe and supportive for all participating children, and must be based upon awareness of the impact of domestic violence on children.

The volunteer will provide supervision and support for children in the shelter and/or those whose parents are involved in any Caring Unlimited services. The volunteer could be asked to provide direct childcare, individually or in groups, or to assist Caring Unlimited staff in various children’s activities.

Hours: Each volunteer must be able to commit to a minimum of two to three hours twice a month for one year. Generally, Kidworkers arrive 15 minutes before group to help set up and stay 15 minutes after group to help clean up.

It is ESSENTIAL that child care is provided for all groups, therefore, if you are unable to fulfill your scheduled child care shift, it is important that you find a replacement from the Kidworker list and notify the coordinator with one week’s notice.

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