Volunteer with CSSNV

Crisis Contact Center and Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) volunteers receive intensive training over a seven-week period. Guest speakers discuss a broad range of topics that our volunteers will encounter. The training emphasizes good listening and communication skills. Role Plays are an important part of the training process and help volunteers practice their newly-acquired skills. Once training is complete, volunteers have all of the skills necessary to answer the crisis lines or respond to a survivor of sexual assault.

After you have completed the training sequence, Crisis Call Center volunteers are asked to volunteer one four-hour shift per week between the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight. (Overnight shifts are covered by staff members.) Volunteers are able to arrange these shifts around their own busy schedules and can work regular shifts or fill in when their time permits.

Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) volunteers are scheduled for a minimum of two 12-hour on-call shifts per month. They are dispatched to a central location in Reno on an as-needed basis, any time of the day or night, to provide critical face-to-face support to survivors.

All volunteers are asked to commit to one year of active service, and many volunteers choose to stay on with us well beyond their initial commitment. Volunteers are also required to attend at least three in-service training classes per year. These are offered for free on a monthly basis at the center or through a variety of online and community opportunities.

Volunteers who have been with Crisis Support Services of Nevada for a while often find they want to expand their contribution. A volunteer can be active on both the Crisis Call Center and Sexual Assault Support Services programs after they have completed their initial one-year commitment and seasoned volunteers often choose to assist with training new volunteers.

Many volunteers come to Crisis Support Services of Nevada because they want to help others. Volunteers often find that the training they receive impacts their lives in ways they do not anticipate.

Learning improved communication skills and gaining knowledge about difficult topics – and gaining confidence in talking about those topics – helps people’s personal and professional relationships in unexpected ways. Many college students (or people returning to school) choose to volunteer to gain human services skills that are relevant to many different professions. We also offer bachelor and masters level internships. Contact info@crisiscallcenter.org to learn more.

The training programs are intensive and rich with personal growth opportunities. Self discovery and emotional processing are all part of becoming a well-rounded volunteer. This growth continues through the processing of personal issues that arise as a result of calls volunteers receive or cases of sexual assault that they respond to. Being a part of Crisis Support Services of Nevada is an experience that will change your life.

There are many ways you can assist our efforts. We often need help with office tasks, organizing or hosting events, creating mailings, tabling at community outreach events, technology, public relations, marketing, fundraising and soliciting donations. We are always interested in speaking with people who want to support the continued growth of Crisis Support Services of Nevada. Email volunteer@crisiscallcenter.org and tell us about your interest areas.

If you would like to know more about becoming a volunteer, please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form at the top of the page. You can also call 1-775-784-8085 or email volunteer@crisiscallcenter.org. We look forward to welcoming you to our amazing team of volunteers.