Volunteer Advocates are members of our community who have chosen to donate their time, energy and skills because they share a concern for individuals who have been affected by crime and tragic circumstances. Our volunteers are men and women over the age of 18, from all cultural backgrounds.
Advocates are committed, empathetic and prepared to provide emotional support, practical assistance and referrals to victims of crimes and tragedies, as well as witnesses and family members.
Because our volunteers work closely with RCMP members, all Advocates must obtain an enhanced RCMP Security Clearance.
The Victims’ Assistance Program provides services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Grande Prairie area Volunteers are asked to commit to 48 hours of on-call coverage per month, and when on call, be available at all times.
The shifts for Grande Prairie volunteers are 12 hours in length Monday to Thursday evenings (6:00pm-6:00am), 14 hours in length Friday evenings (6:00pm-8:00am), 9 hours in length Saturday and Sunday mornings (8:00am-5:00pm), and 15 hours in length on Saturday and Sunday evenings (5:00pm-8:00am).
The shifts for Spirit River volunteers are for a week at a time, 24 hours per day.
A Victim Services staff member is always on call for the volunteers to consult with. There is always at least two people that attend call-outs together.
Grande Prairie and District VSU has a governance board that meets once a month, usually not for more than two hours. Board members do not meet in July or August.
There are a number of positions on the Board, including President, past President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and several Director positions. Terms for Board members are two-years in length and these can be renewed if desired.
We encourage people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences to become Board members as this diversity contributes to the quality of our program and our Board.
The Board is responsible for ensuring that our program has the required funds to continue operating.