Hotline training a valuable tool
To the editor:
I started volunteering with Hope and Justice Project last spring. The 40-hour hotline training was very informative. I learned a lot that I didn’t know before about the dynamics of abuse and control in relationships.
At first, given the huge scope of what the Hope and Justice Project does, I felt a little overwhelmed. I wondered if I would be good at helping the callers through the most difficult time in their lives. However, the staff who led the hotline training were very helpful and encouraging, coaching me and the other volunteers through role-plays and discussion to be able to provide insight and resources to people suffering from domestic violence. I have found that the things I learned at the hotline training have helped me when friends are experiencing abuse in their relationships. Even though we dealt with difficult topics, the atmosphere was friendly, and I always enjoyed the training sessions.
As a volunteer on the Hope and Justice Project’s hotline, I’m able to connect people in need with resources and support and help them to understand their situations more clearly. It’s gratifying to be able to point someone who is lost in the direction of help. I enjoy that I can answer the calls from home on my phone. Sometimes taking a hotline shift is a great excuse not to have to go out and be busy! Answering hotline calls was scary at first, but the support and encouragement of the back-up staff helped me to be confident in assisting people with all sorts of domestic violence problems — and if there is ever a call I know I am unable to handle, I know that the back-up staff will understand and take over.
The experience of volunteering on the hotline has been very rewarding. I like that I don’t need to be an expert — I’m not a therapist or a lawyer or a psychiatrist or anything, but with the knowledge and skills I gained through the hotline training I am still able to make a meaningful difference. I would recommend volunteering on the Hope and Justice Project hotline for anyone who would like to learn how they can make a difference in the lives of women and the community.
The Hope and Justice Project will be holding its spring session of the volunteer training. It will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays starting March 27 and end April 26, with one Saturday to be determined. The time is from 6-8:30 p.m. at the central Aroostook office located at 754 Main Street Presque Isle. Please call Jennifer Glidden at 764-2977 or 227-7532 to sign up or for more information.
Carolyn G. Allison
UMPI student
Florenceville, N.B.
