Trauma-informed Volunteers for a Non-profit Organization

I'm not certain the whole community could be involved at the level.  Certainly the psychological first aid level, yes.  Maybe you an area to look at is retired folks, who have been in or around the field.  Many retired people are still looking to do meaningful work in some way, so this seems like a good avenue.  

As a school counselor and having worked in the child welfare field, it is something I would be interested in volunteering for, so there may be people already somewhat related to the field that may be good targets as well.

Beth

That is a great suggestion! Thank you, Beth, for your insight. 

Jennifer

I agree with the previous response. We have a mentoring program for teens with a history in foster care. We recruit regular adult volunteers that go through a trauma informed training program. We have a wide range of people that are interested in volunteering. If you have the right training and supports in place, volunteers can learn. Evaluate if the skills needed can be taught. Creating a list of volunteer characteristics can help people decide for themselves if they are a good fit. Some people are motivated because of their past history, so you need to screen carefully to make sure they are is a healthy place with their own trauma. We've had a lot of success with online recruitment through Volunteer Match and social media. 

Sounds like a great program. Good luck!

I would avoid the college population. You are looking for people old enough to be trained and work with an "at risk" population. Maybe look to FCSN, see how they recruit as the two overlap a bit.  Ideally you want input from nurses, social workers, educators.