Violence advocate trainings offered
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
The St. Francis Counseling Service, Long Beach Island, is inviting those motivated to provide guidance, support and information to survivors to consider volunteering for its Sexual Abuse and Assault Training Program in Ocean County.
Trainings are held from 6 to 9 p.m. every Monday for 12 weeks, beginning Sept. 15, in Southern Regional High School, Manahawkin. A second training will begin in January, on a date to be announced.
Those who complete the program will be certified as Confidential Sexual Violence Advocates, and will be on call to provide assault survivors with crisis intervention, information and referral services both by phone and in person.
In addition, advocates might be called to meet a victim at one of four Ocean County hospitals: Southern Ocean Medical Center, Manahawkin; Kimball Hospital, Lakewood; Ocean Medical Center, Brick, and Community Medical Center, Toms River, as well as any Ocean County police department or the prosecutor’s office.
Erin Borysewicz, outreach coordinator for the St. Francis Counseling Service, said that advocates provide much-needed support in a chaotic time for victims.
“They cannot even imagine what is happening in that moment,” she said. “The advocate provides them with that security and support, when everything around them seems out of their hands, and out of control.”
She said that advocates provide everything from emotional support to guidance and referrals, leaving victims with options and sources of further support.
There are presently 23 active advocates in Ocean County, she said, and the organization trains between 15 and 20 new advocates, on average, each year.
Being a 24/7 service, Borysewicz said that the organization is always looking for new advocates to join the team.
Last year, advocates were activated for some 90 cases, with need fluctuating throughout the year.
“We are always looking for more advocates,” she said.
Those interested in more information, obtaining an application and scheduling an interview should call 609-494-1554, or email program coordinator Jennifer Echevarria at [email protected] or outreach coordinator Erin Borysewicz at [email protected]. For more information on the St. Francis Counseling Service, visit www.stfranciscenterlbi.org.
St. Francis Counseling Service, which is based in St. Francis Community Center, is a Catholic social Service Agency that partners with the diocese.
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The St. Francis Counseling Service, Long Beach Island, is inviting those motivated to provide guidance, support and information to survivors to consider volunteering for its Sexual Abuse and Assault Training Program in Ocean County.
Trainings are held from 6 to 9 p.m. every Monday for 12 weeks, beginning Sept. 15, in Southern Regional High School, Manahawkin. A second training will begin in January, on a date to be announced.
Those who complete the program will be certified as Confidential Sexual Violence Advocates, and will be on call to provide assault survivors with crisis intervention, information and referral services both by phone and in person.
In addition, advocates might be called to meet a victim at one of four Ocean County hospitals: Southern Ocean Medical Center, Manahawkin; Kimball Hospital, Lakewood; Ocean Medical Center, Brick, and Community Medical Center, Toms River, as well as any Ocean County police department or the prosecutor’s office.
Erin Borysewicz, outreach coordinator for the St. Francis Counseling Service, said that advocates provide much-needed support in a chaotic time for victims.
“They cannot even imagine what is happening in that moment,” she said. “The advocate provides them with that security and support, when everything around them seems out of their hands, and out of control.”
She said that advocates provide everything from emotional support to guidance and referrals, leaving victims with options and sources of further support.
There are presently 23 active advocates in Ocean County, she said, and the organization trains between 15 and 20 new advocates, on average, each year.
Being a 24/7 service, Borysewicz said that the organization is always looking for new advocates to join the team.
Last year, advocates were activated for some 90 cases, with need fluctuating throughout the year.
“We are always looking for more advocates,” she said.
Those interested in more information, obtaining an application and scheduling an interview should call 609-494-1554, or email program coordinator Jennifer Echevarria at [email protected] or outreach coordinator Erin Borysewicz at [email protected]. For more information on the St. Francis Counseling Service, visit www.stfranciscenterlbi.org.
St. Francis Counseling Service, which is based in St. Francis Community Center, is a Catholic social Service Agency that partners with the diocese.
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