Volunteer

Volunteer with The Network/La Red

Applications are OPEN! Interested in cultivating community with us? Submit a volunteer application. Applications are accepted twice a year due to our organizational training schedule. The Volunteer Manager will schedule an interview with you. People of color, trans people, and survivors of partner abuse are especially encouraged to apply!

"I feel like The Network/La Red has been one of the best experiences I’ve had, as far as training, volunteering, and teaching." - Anonymous volunteer

"The Network/La Red has such a good policy in place that makes it easy for volunteers to stay connected to the organization." - Amy, volunteer

About the Program

Volunteers provide survivors with connection to community, peer-support, safety planning assistance, information about partner abuse, and resources by:

  • Staffing our 24-hour crisis hotline
  • Checking-in with guests in our Housing Pathways Program
  • Co-facilitating our telephone-based support groups
  • Sharing information about TNLR, our services and the issue of partner abuse in our communities at outreach events and on social media
  • Facilitating workshops about partner abuse in LGBTQ+ communities
  • Planning events like Paint the Town and Wild Tongues
  • Participating in committees to discuss how to do our work more intentionally
  • Organizing and being in solidarity with the communities we work with

As a volunteer, you will develop skills in direct service, community outreach & organizing, grassroots fundraising, crisis intervention, public speaking, advocacy, event coordination, workshop facilitation, group facilitation, marketing, and communications.

"By the end of volunteer training, we had the tools, practice, resources, and support we needed to start our work as volunteers. Plus, the trainers and my fellow trainees are awesome! Even on the more intense days, I so appreciated our important time together. And I’m excited to be part of The Network/La Red team now!" - Jess, volunteer

"I found myself saying ‘Yes!’ a lot during volunteer training; it really mirrored my own values about empowerment and social justice, and gave me real skills and practice for the work we do with survivors and in fighting oppression. I really like being able to volunteer doing direct services and organizing, and being part of an organization committed to both." - Ian, volunteer

Requirements

  • Attend and graduate our organizational training. Held twice a year in the Spring and Fall, this one-of-a-kind extensive training includes topics such as partner abuse in LGBTQ+ communities, the connection between partner abuse and oppression, how to provide quality, survivor-led and centered services to survivors, and how to determine who is the survivor in a relationship with an abusive partner (screening), among many other things. View the Fall 2024 Org Training Schedule below. All sessions are required and take place from 9am – 5pm in-person, unless otherwise specified.
    • Saturday, 11/2 - TNLR Basics & LGBTQ+ Communities
    • Saturday, 11/9 - Polyamory & Kink Communities
    • Saturday, 11/16 - Partner Abuse
    • Saturday, 11/23 - Oppression & Privilege
    • Saturday, 12/7 -  Active Listening Skills
    • Saturday, 12/21- Screening Tool & Roleplays
    • Saturday, 1/4 - Safety Planning & Roleplays
    • Saturday, 1/11- Informed Consent & Roleplays
    • Saturday, 1/18 - Roleplay Day
  • Complete 12 hours of hotline coverage a month between 6pm and 12am Monday-Thursday and/or between 8am and 6pm on Wednesdays for the first year of volunteering.
  • Receive ongoing support through our Big Group and Direct Service Support Meetings.
    • Big Group Meetings: An opportunity for all staff, board members, and volunteers at TNLR to connect about the work they are doing and develop their skills through workshops, in-services, and information sharing. Held on Zoom 7pm-9pm on the first Tuesday of odd months (January, March, May, July, September, and November).
    • Direct Service Support Meetings: A chance for volunteers to process and receive support around providing direct service. Held on Zoom 7-9pm on the second Tuesday of every month.