Opportunities From: Volunteer Spokane

Our next training will be held in October 2025. See the schedule below. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to become a volunteer!

Are you looking to build your resume, network with like minded individuals, and provide meaningful services to folks in need? Then this may be the perfect opportunity for you!

This unique volunteer experience provides valuable tools for navigating crisis and conflict by empowering and supporting survivors in the aftermath of abuse and trauma. Our volunteers often refer to their service with us as life changing. We are a small team of individuals from diverse backgrounds who embrace our mission of health, justice, and hope.

The Sexual Assault and Family Trauma Center, a program of Lutheran Community Services Northwest, hosts Spokane's only Certified and Accredited Community Sexual Assault Program (CSAP). Our program provides the following services confidentially and free of charge:

Information and referral Legal advocacy Medical advocacy Crisis intervention & support Education & prevention Support groups

Our volunteer advocates assist survivors via a 24-hour support line that can be directed to volunteers at home (no need to sit in a call center) and medical advocacy, which is provided to victims in person at area hospitals when requested.

As a non-profit, we rely on our volunteers to provide services to survivors outside of business hours. We provide a comprehensive 40-hour training and certification free of charge, as well as ongoing supervision and 24-hour support for all our volunteers. We invest in our volunteer staff and in turn, we ask for a one-year commitment of service and four evening or weekend shifts per month. Applicants are thoroughly screened and vetted for service.

Core training is a 40-hour total class teaching a foundational understanding of sexual violence and basic skills for new sexual assault service providers. Core training is a certification that is required by the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy to work as a victims' advocate in Washington state.

October Core Schedule

Monday, October 6th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual
Orientation, Sexual Assault and Oppression Wednesday, October 8th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual Child Abuse and Confidentiality  Saturday, October 11th, 9am-1pm, In-Person Advocacy, Trauma-Informed Care, and Crisis Intervention Monday, October 13th No Training Session Wednesday, October 15th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual  Medical Advocacy Saturday, October 18th, 5:30pm-8pm, In-Person Medical Advocacy Cont. Monday, October 20th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual Role Plays Wednesday, October 22nd, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual  Legal Advocacy Monday, October 27th, 5:30pm-8pm, Virtual Self Care, and Policy and Procedure Wednesday, October 29th, 6pm-8pm, In-Person Crisis Response Advocate Team Meeting Graduation

For more information, please contact our Volunteer Supervisor at (509) 343-5011 or email crisisresponseteam@lcsnw.org

LCSNW Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program receives refugee youth ages 14-17 and places them into foster homes and group homes in the Spokane area. These youth have fled their countries due to war, conflict, and violence in search of safety and a better life. They do not have family to care for them, so our organization works to find them loving homes and reach their goals for success.

Are you willing to open your heart and home to a foster child? We’ll be honest, being a foster parent can be challenging. At the same time, we hear from many foster parents that they have grown from the experience.

In our LCS Northwest foster programs, we recruit, license and support foster parents. We are here to help foster parents so they aren’t in this alone. Our goal is to help you provide a stable home for youth who cannot live with their families. We recruit parents for two different programs – International Foster Care and Domestic Foster Care.

Foster parents and program staff work together to provide a safe haven to refugee and immigrant children from around the world. Refugee youth will be supported in their work to heal from past trauma while they pursue goals of learning English, getting an education, and preparing for a future of independence. Foster families are asked to make a long-term commitment to care for refugee child placed in their home.

Informational meetings for the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program are held on the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30-7:30pm at 210 W. Sprague, Spokane WA 99201.  Please contact us to RSVP.

 

The role of a Refugee Foster Parent is to:

Provide a safe and supportive home environment. Offer emotional support while managing behavior. Provide transportation and support for education, medical appointments and extracurricular activities. Be willing to learn about the youth’s culture and incorporate it into your home. Provide opportunities for youth to establish meaningful life-long relationships.

Most foster parents report a positive experience with refugee children. Many say they receive more from their foster children than what they gave.

 

Foster families receive:

Youth and behavioral parenting support Intensive case management 24-hour on-call services Initial and ongoing training Compensation package

 

International foster youth receive:

Foster care placement Individual counseling/behavioral support Skill development Participation in school and/or work Intensive case management Psycho-pharmacology services Community connections and support services