Programs
Advocacy Programs
The Advocacy Programs includes the Women’s Program, the Children and Teen Program and Emergency Services. These programs deliver a continuum of advocacy, support and emergency services to women who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence and their families. The Children and Teen Program also works with teens that are experiencing abuse in their own dating relationships. Through these program services women gain the support, encouragement and resources needed to make decisions about the safety and well-being of their families and to become self-sufficient and free from domestic violence.
Interventions Programs
The Interventions Programs includes the Legal Advocacy Program and the Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP). Services in this program focus on individuals who are involved in the criminal justice system. Staff also provide critical training to members of law enforcement agencies.
Prevention, Education and Outreach Program
Sarah’s Inn views domestic violence as a problem that will not be remedied merely through intervention efforts, but as an issue requiring a coordinated community response through intervention, prevention, outreach, education and advocacy. Sarah’s Inn addresses this need for a coordinated community response partly through our Community Outreach and Education Program. This program provides a variety of presentations, workshops, trainings and community initiatives related to domestic violence in the communities Sarah’s Inn serves. Through the agency’s outreach and education efforts, staff work to increase awareness about Sarah’s Inn services and the impact of domestic violence on women, families and communities.
Sarah’s Inn staff offer trainings, workshops and presentations for organizations and community members about domestic violence and Sarah’s Inn services. Specific workshop topics include common myths about domestic violence, the cycle of violence, the power and control wheel, statistics on domestic violence, and the effects of domestic violence on victims. Trainings, workshops and presentations can be tailored to best meet the needs of a particular audience or group and can be provided for local police departments, hospitals and other medical facilities, religious organizations, school systems, businesses and civic groups.
Volunteer Program
Volunteer Opportunities
Sarah’s Inn relies on a dedicated and passionate team of volunteers to assist us in accomplishing our mission. Volunteer roles include, but are not limited to:
Crisis Line Operators: Trained volunteers answer the crisis line on weeknights and weekends helping women and families who are victims of domestic violence gather valuable information including shelters, hospitals, police departments, and sources of community support.
Administrative Assistants: Trained volunteers assist at the front desk answering the phones and greeting clients.
Program Assistants: Trained volunteers help to support and develop programming for clients and may even lead group sessions when appropriate.
Child Care Workers: Volunteers help watch younger children while their mothers attend group sessions promoting a safe and family-friendly environment.
Interns: Students from local colleges and universities serve as program interns learning more about Sarah’s Inn and assisting with program development as part of their formal education.
Board Members: Volunteers with special skills are invited to join our Board of Directors which advises and assists the staff in meeting our mission and vision throughout the communities that we serve.
Throughout the year there are many opportunities for volunteers to help with special events such as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the annual Sarah’s Inn Holiday Gift Project, as well as many fundraising and outreach events.
Volunteer Training
Volunteers who have completed 40 hours of Domestic Violence Advocacy Training, a state-mandated training under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (IDVA), are given opportunities to work directly with clients. In addition to 40 hours of training, volunteers gather monthly for updates regarding Sarah’s Inn clients and best practices in the field of domestic violence. In FY09 our team of trained volunteer advocates contributed over 4500 hours of direct service to clients which is equal to approximately $110,000.
Domestic Violence Advocacy Training is offered three times each year to new volunteers and professionals interested in learning more about domestic violence. The training is designed to give an overview of the basic concepts of domestic violence and covers topics such as crisis counseling, anti-racism, cultural awareness, the effects of domestic violence on children, mandated reporting, teen dating violence, legal issues and domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, and a variety of other topics related to domestic violence. Participants who complete the training are certified as domestic violence advocates in Illinois. Sarah’s Inn is an approved training site by the Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professionals.