Advocacy/Ombudsman Volunteer Opportunities

The agency provides volunteer opportunities to individuals living in Los Angeles County. Services include crisis intervention volunteer opportunities and advocacy/ombudsman volunteer opportunities. All opportunities are part of services for and outreach to the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community, specifically survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. There are no geographic restrictions.

Under the community outreach and education program, volunteers may provide support by representing CPAF at community events, staffing annual gala and other fundraising events, translating CPAF materials, assisting with administrative tasks, connecting CPAF with others through their relationships in their own community, and establishing or working with community-based healing groups, etc. As part of the crisis intervention program, volunteers are trained to work with individuals in crisis by providing emotional support, establishing emergency plans, and sharing information or referrals. Volunteers take shifts on our 24-hour domestic violence and sexual assault hotline, translate or interpret for clients with CPAF staff and other partners/outside agencies, make Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) presentations at local police departments, and respond to SART calls, etc. Additional training and on-going support for volunteers working with the crisis intervention program is provided. As part of the shelter programs, volunteers are trained to provide emotional support and to utilize the principles of trauma-informed care and non-violent parenting. Volunteers have the opportunity to work directly with shelter clients and their children by providing interpretation or translation in various languages, facilitating in-house programs for clients, caring for children and planning special activities, assisting staff (Family Advocates) to provide housing, employment and benefits information to clients, and cleaning/sorting donations or supplies, etc.