Volunteer Crisis Responder

The Team you are Joining – Who We Are:

The Halton Regional Police Service contributes to the safety and well-being of more than 620,000 residents in Halton Region which includes the Towns of Milton, Halton Hills and Oakville, and the City of Burlington. It is our continual pursuit of excellence that keeps Halton at the forefront of policing and as a leader in the public safety arena. Through upstream approaches, partner collaboration, training, community engagement and a strong focus on inclusion and diversity, we have been able to maintain Halton’s status as the safest Canadian municipality with a population of 100,000 or more. This is exemplified through deep collaboration between our growing team of over 1,100 members and our residents, businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments.

About the Role – How you will Contribute to the Service:

The Halton Regional Police Services (HRPS) Victims Services Unit is currently looking for Volunteer Crisis Responders (2-year Commitment) to join our team and feel the pride of making a difference by putting victims first!

The Victim Services Unit attends incident scenes, hospitals, or other locations where trauma has occurred, to provide immediate crisis assistance to serious incidents. This can include a broad spectrum of physical / psychological trauma from sudden death to assaults, robberies or motor vehicle collisions. The HRPS Victim Services Unit volunteer crisis responders will be vital in providing emotional support, explaining police and / or coroner procedures and / or providing referrals to community agencies.

Our Volunteers come from unique backgrounds but are commonly interested in helping others that have been victimized by crime or trauma by offering social and emotional support, through communication, companionship, and problem-solving techniques.  You will be instrumental in bringing warmth and reassurance to a victim’s experience. 

If you are passionate and eager to make a positive impact in your community and embed a culture of compassion, caring and safety, then this is the ideal volunteer environment to channel your skills and expertise in a meaningful manner and join our team today!

Here’s what you will get to do:

You will:

• Work alongside police officers and community groups to collectively respond to victims in our community through immediate crisis intervention and follow up support offered through the Victim Services Unit (VSU), Crisis Response Team.
• Have the opportunity to make a truly impactful difference.
• Have the opportunity and ability to foster hope and create healing opportunities through your kindness and compassion for people in their darkest hour.
• Provide emotional support both in person and on the phone.
• Bear witness to pain and trauma that is often very difficult to experience; and
• Be challenged both personally and professionally.

What is required for this role: 

Your Devoted Commitment:

• We ask volunteers to commit to two (2) years of volunteer service with Halton Regional Police Service. Full training will be provided.
• You will be required to attend every session of the mandatory training program as outlined on the schedule below:

• You will be required to dedicate a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours per month to the on-call schedule. You will have the freedom to select dates/times that work for your schedule. During your shift you will be on-call from your home but must strive to respond to calls in the region within 40 minutes of receiving the call.
• You will be required to attend mandatory monthly meetings, in addition to on-call hours.

The Selection Process:

Step A:  Submission of online application, which includes submitting a resume submission accompanied by a cover letter.  Your cover letter must include the following:

Question:  An introduction of yourself along with any education, experience or training that you feel would make you a suitable Volunteer Crisis Responder for Halton Regional Police Service.

Question:  Your motivation for applying to this role.

Question:   Your ability to commit to the training sessions and to the 2-year required term (Please provide an example of a previous commitment you made, other than paid employment, to something longer-term where you saw it through from start to finish?)

Step B:  Please note that applicants must be able to complete the following:

• Attend ONE of the following three orientation nights held in the Community Room of 20 Division located at 95 Oak Walk Drive, Oakville.
• Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.,
• Monday, August 19, 2024 at 6:30 p.m., OR
• Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

 Please note:  Registration to attend the mandatory orientation is not required.

If you completed Step A and B of the selection process, you may be selected to participate in an in-person interview.

Minimum Qualifications:

To be considered for this volunteer position, you must:

• Be a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• Be 21 years of age or older.

• Be a resident of Halton Region or must strive to respond to crisis calls (on-call) in the region within 40 minutes of receiving the call.

• Have successfully completed at least four (4) years of secondary school education or equivalent.
• Not have been convicted of a criminal offence for which a pardon has not been fully granted.
• Be a fully licensed driver in Ontario with a clean driving record.
• Have access to internet / e-mail and a cell phone.
• The ability to speak a second language would be an asset.
• Although not a requirement, holding a Diploma or University degree in social work, psychology or sociology would be an asset.

Note: The successful applicant will need to pass a background check to the satisfaction of the Service which will include reference checks with previous employers, verification of educational achievements, and a criminal background screen.

How to be Considered for This Exciting Opportunity:

Please apply online with a resume and a detailed cover letter as outlined above. This should be forwarded in confidence to our Staffing Advisor, Human Resource Services, quoting Competition #01-V-24 by September 13, 2024.  All applications must be submitted to the Service’s on-line system to be considered for this volunteer opportunity.

1. To be considered for this opportunity, you can cut and paste the following link into your web browser https://haltonpolice.talentpoolbuilder.com/
2. Click on the job title “Volunteer Crisis Responder”. Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage of that specific job posting.  Click on “Apply Now”.
3. You must apply on-line with a resume and a detailed letter outlining your experience and skills in relation to the position and response to the questions listed in this job posting.

**Various skills assessments may be administered as part of the selection criteria.

The Halton Regional Police Service strives to be an accessible and inclusive organization.  We are committed to fairness and equity in employment and our recruitment and selection practices.  We encourage and welcome applications from all who may contribute to the further diversification of our organization. Should you require an accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and/or the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) during any stage of the recruitment process, we will work with you to remove any barriers. Please do not hesitate to let us know by contacting us for assistance at civilianrecruiting@haltonpolice.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest in joining our organization.   Only those who are selected to advance through the recruitment process will be contacted by our team.