Join Us
Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Rewarding, important, fulfilling, very much needed in the community.
How can I volunteer?
There are many ways to volunteer with BARCC! Our volunteers participate as hotline counselors, medical advocates, public speakers, in-office supports, and more. We can work with you to find a role that is right for you.
What type of training do I need in order to volunteer?
No prior experience is necessary—we will provide you with training for your role!
If you are interested in Hotline, Medical Advocacy, or Community Awareness and Prevention Services (CAPS) volunteering you must submit this application, attend an Info and Interview session, and be accepted into our 40-hour training program.
If you are interested in becoming an Office Support Volunteer, you must submit this application to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), interview in our Cambridge offices, and attend a two-hour training.
If you are interested in special projects or one-time volunteerism, you do not have to complete the training nor submit an application—just e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)!
When is the training offered, and how can I get involved?
Hotline, CAPS, and Medical Advocacy trainings are offered four times a year:
- February/March, during evenings and weekends
- June, during a week, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- August, during a week, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- October/November, during evenings and weekends
If you are interested in completing the training for professional reasons but are unable to volunteer at BARCC, please contact us and we can discuss whether the 40-hour training is the right fit for your needs.
To apply, please submit your application, and we will contact you with the dates of our Info and Interview (I&I) sessions; you are required to attend one. Space in these I&I sessions is limited, so apply now!
Office Support volunteer trainings are held regularly. To participate in one of these trainings, you must first submit this application to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
What are the requirements for volunteering at BARCC?
For direct service positions (Hotline, Medical Advocacy, and CAPS), you must be at least 18 years old to volunteer and able to make a one-year minimum commitment. Volunteers must be able to take one shift per week for hotline and medical advocacy, and two engagements per month for CAPS. Each position also requires mandatory peer supervision twice a month (you can find further details on our application). If you have a personal connection to issues of sexual violence, we ask that it has been at least one year since your or your loved one’s experience with sexual violence. If you received services at BARCC, we ask that it has been at least one year since those services ended.
Office Support volunteers must be over 18 and able to make at least a three-month commitment to volunteering at BARCC. Volunteers must be able to take one shift per week in our offices in Cambridge. If you have a personal connection to issues of sexual violence, we ask that it has been at least one year since your or your loved one’s experience with sexual violence. If you received services at BARCC, we ask that it has been at least one year since those services ended.
How do I apply?
For Hotline, CAPS, and Medical Advocacy: Please complete our direct-service volunteer application, then attend one of our Info & Interview sessions at our offices. Attendance at one of these sessions is mandatory for anyone wishing to apply for a direct service position. These meetings take place a few weeks prior to the start of volunteer training and are designed so that you can hear more about each of the programs and speak with BARCC staff and current volunteers. At the end of the meeting, you will be interviewed by a BARCC staff member or volunteer.
For Office Support Volunteers: Please complete our OSV application. You will then be contacted to set up an interview!
If I have been trained in another state, do I need to be trained again?
Yes. All BARCC volunteers must attend all BARCC training.
To find out more about volunteering at BARCC, e-mail us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).