 |
| "An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure"
- Chinese proverb |
| VORS Application |
We would like to offer you the opportunity to become a volunteer mediator for a unique mediation program. Since 1992, Victim/Offender Restitution Services has been holding meetings between juvenile offenders and their victims. For the youth, it is a chance to put their crime in the past and make amends with their victim. For the victim, it is the opportunity to finally have a say in what happened to them.
Our upcoming training offers you the skills necessary to help make it all possible. With our training, you can help youths to earn back the trust they may have lost from family, neighbors, and friends. More than that, you will be making a difference in their lives by helping them to develop skills in empathy. For some youths, that skill can mean the difference between repeat offending and socially accepted behavior. Studies have proven that our program greatly reduces the likelihood that a youth will re-offend.
You will also be serving as a listening ear to victims who normally feel excluded. By participating in forum that offers them the chance to be heard, victims feel empowered. Studies have also shown that our program increases the likelihood that victims will get restitution. The statistics lay the foundation for why VORS is so needed, but the human interactions to be experienced in these meetings are invaluable.
As you apply to become a volunteer mediator with VORS, please consider the following qualifications:
1. Good listening skills
2. The ability to empathize well with others
3. Much availability from 9am to 5pm (Our mediations happen mostly during these hours, with only rare exceptions.)
4. The willingness to drive up to 30 or 40 minutes away from your starting point
5. Availability for the 40-hour VORS training (Less hours are required for people with previous mediation training.) *priced at $35 for meals and materials, trainings like this are normally $800-$1200
6. Your commitment to uphold the Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators
7. Consistently checking e-mails and phone messages for possible assignments
8. Responding to our office within a day or two of your receipt of these messages
9. Offering to do about two mediations a month
10. A commitment to complete 12 mediations for the program
11. Cooperation with and clearance of a background check by the LA County Probation Dept.
Our application process is simple. First, you will be asked to complete and return the enclosed volunteer application. Then, upon review, you may be contacted to schedule an interview with our staff. If you complete the interview stage, you will be sent an update in the mail on the status of your application.
We hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
Alvin Villanueva
Program Coordinator
Victim-Offender Restitution Services
Click HERE for the Application