Become Involved as a Volunteer

Circle’s volunteers are essential to victims/survivors receiving services. They staff Circle’s hotline, spend time in the shelter with residents, coordinate shelter building upkeep, assist in the office, solicit and organize donations, fundraise, provide childcare during support group, and foster community connections and awareness.

As required by Vermont state law, all Circle volunteers are provided with 20 hours of free training, ensuring that they have crisis-worker privilege and are entirely confidential advocates. Training includes substantial education on the root causes of domestic violence, how survivors experience it, and how volunteers can help.

Please contact us about volunteering at info@circlevt.org  

We are currently accepting applications for our next volunteer training! Email us at info@circlevt.org for more information!

Volunteer Opportunities

Circle is always looking for volunteers who are committed to the issue and sensitive to the complex needs of the families we work with. We have a wide-range of volunteer opportunities including:

• Hotline coverage – we have a 24-hour toll-free hotline which offers immediate support, intervention, and information for victims of domestic violence in Washington County.
• Shelter – we have a safe house located in a confidential location in Washington County for women and their children to stay and receive support after fleeing their abusive relationships. Volunteers can meet with shelter residents to have coffee and chat, teach a residents a new skill, provide childcare, garden, clean, and so much more.
• Events on behalf of Circle – you can create your own event, from a house party to a pledge event, to help raise funds to support Circle.
• Public Relations – getting the word out about Circle and our work is essential to our success as advocates for social change. Volunteers help us maximize traditional and social media opportunities to generate interest and participation in Circle’s efforts; from advocacy alerts to public events such as fundraisers and community actions.
• Board of Directors – Circle’s board is entrusted with the care of the organization and is accountable to the public. We are always looking for good additions for our Board of Directors and/or Board Committees, which include governance, financial planning, and outreach.
• Coordinated Community Response Team (CCR) – the CCR is a multi-disciplinary group of service providers who meet every month and who share a common goal of increasing victim safety and holding batterers accountable. We invite anyone who is interested in supporting Washington County uphold these goals to consider joining the CCR.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list, but it is a good place to start! Regardless of what volunteer opportunities someone is interested in, they must complete the required 20-hour training, which is provided by Circle at no cost. Vermont only allows confidentiality through crisis worker privilege if the volunteer has completed this training. Once the training has been completed, Circle staff are available to support volunteers in whatever activities they choose to become involved with.