Zacharias Center Volunteers Make a Difference!

The reward of being a Zacharias Center volunteer comes from the enormous emotional satisfaction of helping a survivor of sexual assault and abuse go from From Here to Healing.

"It is not enough to be compassionate, you must act." - Tenzin Gyatso

Just bring your heart and a willingness to learn

We'll teach you everything you need to know. Zacharias Center provides an outstanding, comprehensive volunteer training program several times per year. The 40-60 hour course is offered weekends, evenings and weekdays. Call our Director of Volunteer Services for specific dates and times of upcoming training courses at 847-244-1187.

Who should volunteer

If you believe in equality and diversity and that absolutely no one deserves to be sexually assaulted or ever "asks" to be raped, you believe in the mission of Zacharias Center. Women of Color and Bilingual Women are especially needed in this effort. Men who wish to be allies in the anti-rape movement are also welcome to apply. You must be open-minded and non-judgmental, even around emotionally difficult and controversial issues. You don't need to have a degree. The only requirement is that you are able to listen and empathize.

What Zacharias Center will ask of you

We'll ask you to make a monthly commitment of volunteer shifts and to stick around for at least one year. We would also like to see you once a month at a volunteer meeting.

The role of Zacharias Center Volunteers

After the rape, a volunteer advocate can be a listening ear. In the aftermath of a sexual assault, the role of an advocate is to attend to the critical emotional needs of the survivor:

To re-empower her or him
To be a source of information and support
To be a buffer between the survivor and the medical and criminal justice systems, minimizing revictimization.

CAP Volunteers can empower children to be "safe, strong, and free."

Volunteers provide prevention education by teaching simple ways to reduce their vulnerability to verbal, physical, and sexual assault. Through carefully scripted role-play activities, the CAP program provides children with information about abuse by strangers, peers, and most importantly, people they already know, like relatives and authority figures.

Direct Service Volunteers

Medical Advocacy: Respond to local hospitals and police departments when a sexual assault survivor is present.

Child Assault Prevention (CAP): Convey personal safety information through classroom presentations with children in local schools.

Hotline Advocacy: Provide emotional support and information to survivors and their loved ones over the telephone.

Court Advocacy: Attend legal proceedings of sexual assault cases in the local county courts.

What present volunteers have to say

"I feel that LaCASA (Zacharias Center) was there when I needed them, and I owe them my life. If I can help one person, then my pain and suffering were not in vain. I'm giving back."
-Denise, Medical Advocate

"I volunteer because I have a daughter. I don't want her to have to be fearful."
-Julie, CAP Volunteer

"Because I was a social worker, it's a good way for me to use my social work skills. It's an opportunity for me to give back to society around an issue that is of utmost importance to me. It's a terrific service, and I have always felt appreciated by the clients I've served."
-Jackie, Medical Advocate

"I do it because the challenging training and steadfast support given to me by LaCASA (Zacharias Center) has enabled me to find the courage to believe that I can be of help to others in a meaningful way."
-Susan, CAP Volunteer, Court Advocate, and Medical Advocate