Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice

• What responsibilities will volunteers have?• Who will screen volunteers and how will that be done?• What kind of training will volunteers need?• What kind of support will they need?Consider holding a volunteer recruitment meeting. Have volunteerapplication forms, sign-up sheets, and clearly worded job descriptionsavailable at the meeting. Ask those in attendance to spread the word. Postsigns throughout the community, including at the volunteer bureau.ORIENTATION AND TRAININGVolunteer training is an ongoing process. Its goal is to ensure thatvolunteers who work with victims and offenders respect the rights of theseindividuals and strive to meet their needs. Adequate training also ensuresthat volunteers feel prepared and able to fulfil the tasks assigned to them.If you need help in developing your training plan, consider approachingother community-based programs for advice. (Check the ProvincialDirectory of Restorative Justice Programs found in Appendix G.) Yourcriminal justice partners (local victim services organizations in particular)may have information and resources that could assist you. Your ownvolunteers may have expertise in particular areas or may know other peoplewho can help.When deciding when and where to hold your orientation and trainingsessions, try to be flexible as volunteers will likely have othercommitments. Be prepared to hold the sessions more than once to ensurethat everyone receives the necessary information.Include the following topics in your training sessions:• Overview of restorative justice• Your program model• Job descriptions, roles, and responsibilities• Program policies and procedures• Skills training on facilitation, mediation, conflict resolution, andcommunicationGetting Started 36