Why Volunteer?

As a volunteer with the NYAWC, you can touch the lives of abused women and their children, either directly through client support or by joining the movement to end violence against women. Volunteer service is rewarding and brings with it the opportunity to meet others who are committed to our cause and active in our community.

NYAWC's volunteer network has earned national acclaim - including the 1991 President Volunteer Action Award — for its effectiveness in mobilizing the Asian community on issues of violence against women.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

There are a variety of ways that you can donate your time and talents. Based on the information that you share in your volunteer application and your volunteer interview, the Volunteer Coordinator will guide you in the direction of projects that are most suitable for your needs.

Most of our volunteer projects are team-based and are run by Project Leaders. Project Leaders are volunteers trained in leadership skills that coordinate various aspects of the project and communicate with involved volunteers. The Project Leader for the project you choose will give you a specific assignment and provide your team with overall supervision.

Team Projects

• Support for Children - We need volunteers to create enrichment activities, provide homework help and tutor survival English to two to five children. We will conduct an extensive criminal background check, finger-printing, and a professional and personal reference check. (The locations are 45 minutes to one hour from Manhattan, in different boroughs. This project requires a commitment of one to two hours after 5:30 PM once a week for six months or one academic year.)

• Project Leadership - We want experienced NYAWC volunteers, as well as new volunteers with leadership experience to apply to be Project Leaders. These leaders will manage a team (2 to 8 volunteers) by maintaining regular contact and communication with team members and NYAWC staff.
  
  
• DAT Program Mentors: Mentor adolescents who have been affected by domestic violence through digital art and other engaging activities in the Digital Art Therapy/Mentorship program (DAT). NYAWC is looking for a team of dedicated mentors to join our 2012-2013 curriculum year. No prior experience in making digital art is required. Read more about this opportunity.
  

Individual Projects

• ING NYC Marathon - Run for NYAWC at the ING NYC Marathon on November 4, 2012, or help raise funds. To find out more, please visit our ING NYC Marathon page.
• Hotline - Lend your voice, ear and heart to help abused women find safety and independence. NYAWC will provide extensive training and support to assist you with our multilingual Hotline.
  Hotline volunteers: We are seeking compassionate individuals who can commit three hours a week to help Hotline callers. Read more about this opportunity.
  Hotline Internship: By supporting the Hotline program, intern will gain experience in social service while developing interpersonal and administrative skills. Read more about this opportunity.
  Interested in Applying? View the Hotline Volunteer/Internship Application. Please contact Hotline Manager at ssaxena@nyawc.org if you have any questions


• Mandarin and Cantonese Advocacy - We need volunteer to assist clients at Court and Public Assistance appointments during weekdays between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM for few hours. After a year, you will receive a Certificate of Completion in recognition of your valuable work with our clients.


• Interact with young children at our shelters on an on-call basis - We need volunteers under the direct sight and supervision of our childcare workers during daytime (9:00 AM-5:00 PM) to interact with the children. The location is 35 minutes from Manhattan. You will not be doing any feeding or changing of diapers. We will conduct an extensive criminal background check, finger-printing, and a professional and personal reference check. NYAWC staff will always be present on location.


• Outreach on a fixed schedule - We need volunteers to supervise NYAWC resources at Brooklyn Family Court, Borough Hall. Distribute information about DV services and get to know the staff working at the Petition Room, especially the Deputy Chief Clerk. The ability to speak an Asian language is desirable but not required. (Tuesdays, twice a month from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM for six months)


• Outreach - We need outreach volunteers. NYAWC’s Community Outreach and Education plays a vital role in reaching out to local businesses and to educate them about the issue of domestic violence. Community Outreach targets businesses in Asian immigrant communities to inform and educate them about NYAWC’s services and how women can seek help. The role of the Volunteer Community Outreach (VCO) is to target businesses in emerging Asian communities in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens by distributing information about NYAWC and speaking to staff and/or business owners about domestic violence with the goal of dispelling the myths surrounding domestic violence. The Outreach volunteers will conduct outreach activities in his/her assigned borough at least twice a month.
  
  
• 30th Anniversary Benefit - We have two opportunities for our exciting event in October 2012.
  Sponsors Research and Recruitment Fundraising Committee - Research potential sponsors and reach out to them via mail, email, phone, and potentially in person. If you have 4 plus hours a week during the weekday working hours from now on then this would be a good opportunity for you.
  Silent Auction Solicitation Committee - Research companies and acquire silent auction items via mail, email, phone, and potentially in person with those companies. Research and potentially set-up an online pre-event silent auction.
  
  
• Project Speak Out - Join NYAWC’s unique new initiative to reduce and prevent domestic violence in New York City’s Asian American communities.  Instead of organizations going into communities to talk about domestic violence, volunteers themselves will interact with their fellow neighbors, friends, and families to change individual and community attitudes and behaviors toward domestic violence. We will provide training. You do not need to speak an Asian language. Volunteer hours are flexible and there is a low time commitment requirement. For more details, contact projectspeakout@nyawc.org.
  
  
• Administration and Welcome Desk Volunteer- Help us ensure our office is running at an optimal level. Sit at our Welcome Desk, help with the mail, and ensure that office supplies are stocked for our printers and copiers. This is not a heavy-lifting role. Volunteers are needed 3 hours per day preferably in the afternoon for a 2-3 days or 5 days a week. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Client Services and Welcome Desk Volunteer - Contribute to the efficient operations of the Client Services division, which works directly with survivors. Volunteer will attend client service meetings and take notes, update and organize client services resources, monitor client outcomes submissions, and calculate client services numbers for reporting. Volunteer is needed on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11am. The additional 4-6.5 hours can be on the same or another day. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Development and Welcome Desk Volunteer - Learn about fundraising by assisting our Development department while also staffing our office’s welcome desk. Volunteer will conduct donor database cleanup, process incoming donations, draft thank you letters, and help with prospect research. Volunteers are needed for 4-8 hours during the daytime on one or two weekdays. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Volunteer Program and Welcome Desk Volunteer - Help strenghten volunteers' impact on survivors. Assist the Development department while staffing our office’s welcome desk. Volunteer will help with a variety of projects such as maintaining digital records, planning and preparing for special projects and events, and conducting research and helping to create volunteer programs. Click here for more information.
  
  

Join Our Volunteer Program

Join us in providing life-saving services to women and children in need! Volunteers need no prior experience. Fluency in an Asian language is extremely helpful but not required. Requirements for joining the Volunteer Program are as follows:

• For minors (younger than 18 years), agreement forms signed by a parent or legal guardian.
• Fluency in speaking and understanding English.
• Availability to actively volunteer for 12 months after attending volunteer orientation.
• Attendance to all sessions of volunteer orientation and training.
• Adherance to NYAWC policies and procedures pertaining to the Volunteer Program.

If you are interested in volunteering for NYAWC, please complete the volunteer application and email Nicole Kubon at nkubon@nyawc.org.

If you have any trouble downloading the application above, please email nkubon@nyawc.org.

FAQs

1) What are the days and times of the volunteer projects?
Projects take place during different hours of the day, throughout the week. The Volunteer Coordinator and/or your Project Leader will help place you based on your schedule. The more times that you are available to volunteer, the more likely it is that you will be placed in the activity of your choice.

2) For how long do I need to commit to volunteering at NYAWC?
Because we provide extensive training for our volunteers, we require that you have at least one year available from the time of your application.

3) If I have a limited amount of experience working with people in need, would I still qualify?
We will review your past volunteer work and other experience and help determine what type of placement is right for you. We also provide trainings for volunteers before they work with clients to prepare them for the experience.

4) Do I need to speak an Asian language to become a volunteer with NYAWC?
No. However, if you are fluent in an Asian language, your skills may be needed for specific projects.

5) What if I have a special talent or skill that I would like to offer as a volunteer?
If you have a unique skill that you would like to incorporate into your volunteer work, of if you have an idea for a volunteer project other than those currently listed on this site, you are welcome to contact the Volunteer Coordinator with your suggestion. The Coordinator and NYAWC staff will determine if your skills match any of our current needs.

6) Will I receive any orientation or training to prepare me for volunteer work with NYAWC?
Yes, we provide a general orientation and training about domestic violence and the work of the NYAWC for all volunteers. We also have specialized orientations for specific types of projects, and an intensive training for volunteers answering the hotline.

7) How do NYAWC volunteers work with clients?
If you are selected for a volunteer project that works directly with clients, you will receive a thorough orientation and training to provide you with the skills and information that will help you work with clients. Volunteers learn how to provide support through active and reflective listening, as well as the maintenance of appropriate boundaries. Volunteers do not provide counseling or case management for clients.

8) Where are NYAWC and its volunteer projects located?
Because the NYAWC provides confidential services to battered women, we do not disclose any of our locations to the public. You will be advised of the locations of your projects on a need to know basis.

9) Are there opportunities for men to volunteer?
Yes. We welcome male volunteers to join us. In fact, male volunteers are important because they help set positive male role models for our clients and their children.

10) What is the length of the volunteer application process?
Because we must screen volunteer applicants carefully, the process varies from weeks to months.

11) My group would like to volunteer together. How can we?
In a variety of ways, including: running a collections drive, creating holiday cards or gift packages for clients, participating in a rally, and more. For more information on opportunities for groups, please contact nkubon@nyawc.org.

12) Will NYAWC provide me with a letter of recommendation for school applications, job searches, or other professional purposes?
The NYAWC is unable to provide letters of recommendation for a variety of reasons. However, if you have been with the agency for a minimum of 6 months and have submitted the required timesheets for your volunteer hours, we can provide a letter of documentation.

13) Does NYAWC offer internships?
Every year we offer a limited number of internships to graduate students who are pursuing degrees in social work or related fields. We recommend that you contact wyin@nyawc.org to discuss currently available positions.