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Volunteer

Volunteers help so much–we literally could not function without them. We have volunteers who come once with a big group, and people who help once a month, or weekly, or even the amazing “as needed” people. If you are a volunteer and are reading this, thank you from the very bottom of our hearts.

If you’d like to volunteer with doma, read about upcoming opportunities below.  We invite you to travel internationally with us or plug in to our US Connection for survivors of Human Trafficking.  Read the whole page for a full list of opportunities!  See our calendar at the bottom of the page to sign up to serve!

If your church or organization is interested in providing consistent care and support to one ConnectionPoint through visits and donations, we’d love to share with you how what we do that, and make your life easier by organizing visits, letter-writing, determining areas of greatest need, and managing programs cross-culturally.  Contact daniel@domaconnection.org for more info on long-term connections.

Trip #1 & #2

Location: ETHIOPIA
2012 Trip Dates: November 2-12, 2012 (Medical Team) & November 5-14, 2012 (Vision Team)
Cost: $1250 + airfare

A Vision Team will visit the village of Bora, where doma is establishing its first Prenatal and Early Childhood Care Center. Join this team to learn how your business, church, or group of friends can get involved. Concurrently, a Medical Team will offer primary care clinics in various locations in Addis Ababa (the capital city) and in southern Ethiopia. Provide education to moms about infant/child development, feeding and caring for an infant/child, and ways to encourage growth and development. Provide education for the adults of the community about basic hygiene, proper lifting, and stretching (a lot of aches and pains!).

Trip #3

Location: RUSSIA

Our most recent trip to Russia just left!  We are working on getting dates for the next trip.  More information will be posted as we get it.  Check out the description below if you want to know more about what we do in Russia, Eastern Europe link to the left.

doma International operates Young Mother programs and hosts retreats in St. Petersburg and remote areas in Russia for orphaned girls who are now new moms. Travel with a Vision Team of leaders, pastors, activists, parents, and business persons who share your interest in Eastern Europe, mission, orphaned children, and vulnerable women. See real needs first hand and meet these needs in simple and immediate ways. Build relationships with Russians and come away with life-long friends. You will have the opportunity to give to this and other projects, as well as come home inspired and informed to connect your families, churches, businesses, and communities to the adventure of generosity and compassion on behalf of orphaned children and vulnerable women.

VOLUNTEERING FOR OUR SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

1. Visit CATCH court

Please check in with chris@domaconnection.org, and come to court anytime, Thursdays 1:30-3:30 at 375 S. High, courtroom 12C, to see and hear from the wonderful survivors that doma supports. All women are welcome.  For men, we should know about you ahead of time in order to tell the judge (as he is protective over his court). There is limited space–only two rows for supporters, and casual dress is fine. Find a doma staff member and introduce yourself

2. Train

Sessions are two hours long, held the second Sunday of each month (unless there is a holiday) at Veritas Church, 345 E. 2nd Ave. from 1-3pm.  They are pleasant and informative.  Email jenice@domaconnection.org to register.  Special emphasis lies in the fact that these ladies are to be respected, listened to, appreciated, that we understand professionalism, boundaries, confidentiality, and how to deal with trauma. At training we also learn that the true focus of spending time with the ladies is for everyone to relax and be happy.

3. Sign Up and Get Moving

There are so many ways to volunteer! Once trained and approved you can:

• work directly with survivors–visits, transportation, cooking, crafts, watching movies, helping with retreats
• make care baskets for the survivors
• help with our garden–we parter with Local Matters to provide delicious local and organic vegetables that go straight to Freedom a la Cart
• raise funds and awareness–host a party or campus event, hold a garage sale, put on a show
• if you have your own idea, feel free to share!  we are open to creative volunteering opportunities as long as we deem them appropriate

4. Earn a Greenlight Badge

If you are wearing a Greenlight Badge, everyone can see and know that doma and CATCH has approved you as someone who understands the guidelines that we have set out for the mentor and supporter program.  These guidelines were developed for everyone’s safety, for consistency, and so that we are able to run the CATCH and doma care programs effectively and efficiently.

Doma and CATCH staff have full discretion over who receives a Greenlight Badge.  We do not desire to hurt anyone’s feelings, but we need a way to ensure the safety of our ladies.   Below are some of the guidelines that all Greenlight Badged volunteers must show they appreciate, respect, and understand.  They:

• understand the importance of Attendance.
• understand the role of CATCH and doma staff.
• have been through at least 2 hours of doma training plus HT 101.  We prefer that Greenlight-badged volunteers have 10 weeks of training through Abo U.
• understand the importance and contribute to special events, donations, and volunteer efforts outside of the courtroom.
• understand boundaries, confidentiality, processing, and professionalism.

5. Attend Abolition U

Abolition U is a class that helps you to understand human trafficking here and abroad, and to find the best ways you can to fight it. We have terrific abolitionist speakers, field trips, street outreach training, readings and activities. The class then breaks into smaller sessions where people can focus on Becoming a Voicebox, Mentoring (women only), and Demand Reduction (men only).  Our next class will be established very soon. To learn more about it, please check out the ABO U link on the left.  Any further questions can go to kae@domaconnection.org.

6. Work With Us

Volunteers should be responsive, flexible, attentive and teachable. While doma staff might sometimes make mistakes, and have a lot more to learn, we really have been working hard and learning the best practices on how to work with survivors of sex trafficking. We also work so closely with CATCH court that we only operate in ways they are congruent with, and we are usually either preparing survivors for inpatient treatment in rehabilitation centers, or working with those who are already there. Each of these organizations has their own codes of conduct and best practices.

Therefore, while your ideas and advice will always be listened to and respected, you might find that we have our ways of doing things–how to talk with the women, how to interact with staff, how to go about fundraising, etc.  It is important to put bossiness and opinions aside to go with the flow.  Remember, the chief goal is to serve the survivors in whatever way we can, not glorify ourselves.  Let’s all work together and do the most good that we can!

Like what you’ve read?  Contact us:  info@domaconnection.org  for more info on volunteering!