Volunteer
ASTT relies on volunteers to fulfill many important roles. By contributing your skills and energy, you can help support our work and make a real difference in the lives of torture and trauma survivors.
ASTT is actively seeking volunteers in several areas.
Interpreters are needed to provide translation for non-English speaking survivors during therapy and case management sessions. Volunteers must be capable of accurate and rapid interpretation and be able to work under confidential and potentially demanding emotional conditions. ASTT’s volunteer interpreters are key in helping survivors receive much-needed psychological and social support. ASTT also needs volunteers to translate documents from English into other languages. Download Interpreter position description.
Community Education Volunteers play an important part in raising awareness about ASTT’s work. Community Education volunteers carry out or help organize presentations in various local settings—churches, synagogues, mosques, universities—about torture, its impact, and survivors’ needs. Download Community Education position description.
Befrienders offer ASTT clients companionship and a steady, empathetic presence. Many survivors are in the process of adjusting to their new situation and surroundings; Befrienders can play an important role in helping them connect with their community. A Befriender might accompany a client to appointments at social service agencies or health centers, food pantries or job interviews. S/he and the client might practice language skills together or attend enjoyable, low-cost social activities – walks, visits to museums, dinner at the volunteer’s home. Families are welcome to volunteer as a unit. Download Befriender position description.
Volunteer researchers serve several needs. First, researchers help gather detailed information about the current political and social situation in the various countries from which ASTT clients have fled. This information helps provide clinical staff (therapists and case managers) with an understanding of the overall sociopolitical context of the client’s experiences. Also, volunteers can help clinical staff by researching the academic literature related to particular mental health and human rights topics. Research volunteers must have access to email and Internet, be responsive to specific staff needs regarding human rights issues, and have strong analytical and writing skills. Download Researcher position description.
Agency Support Volunteers contribute to ASTT’s work in many ways. These include creating charts for new clients, data entry, helping to maintain ASTT’s mailing list, assembling informational packets about our work, and sending out our organizational newsletter.
ASTT volunteers receive orientation and basic training as required for their specific role, and take part in regular meetings/ conversations with the supervising therapist, case manager, and/or volunteer supervisor.
For more information or to get involved with any of these programs, please contact Andrea Rackowski, Volunteer Coordinator, at 410-464-9006 or volunteer_coordinator@astt.org. .
You can also download the volunteer application form and mail or fax it to ASTT.