Frequently Asked Questions
What are the job duties of a Confidential Advocate?The Haven Confidential Advocate will provide information, support, advocacy, resources and referrals to students who have questions and/or need assistance with sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship abuse/intimate partner violence, stalking, and/or gender-based discrimination. This is a walk-in, confidential service provided to students at William & Mary by well-trained student volunteers. The Haven Confidential Advocate is supervised in a variety of ways including peer supervision, The Haven Advisory Board, and the Director of The Haven. Position Duties:
Qualifications/Expectations:
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How much training is involved?Volunteers are required to participate in 32 hours of training. The bulk of that mandatory training occurs the first weekend after classes start in the Fall. The other training is offered as continuing education sessions which occur throughout the academic year. |
Is training mandatory?Selected applicants MUST attend MANDATORY training in the Fall. Missing the mandatory training will automatically terminate your position as a Confidential Advocate. |
When is training?Mandatory training will be held the first weekend after Fall classes start. Generally, the training time is from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday. If you participate (or plan to participate) in Fraternity/Sorority Life, you will need to ask for permission well in advance to be excused from weekend activities that may conflict with The Haven mandatory training. |
I'm a Freshman. Can I volunteer?Freshman are eligible to apply in the Spring of their first year. If selected, their training and volunteering will start in the Fall of Sophomore year. |
I'm an RA. Can I volunteer?Students who are Resident Assistants (RAs) at W&M may not volunteer as a Confidential Advocate due to a conflict of interest. RAs are required to report incidents of sexual misconduct they learn about in their role, which may conflict with the role of Confidential Advocate. |
I'm employed by the university. Can I volunteer?Yes. At this time, the only student employee restricted from volunteering is a Resident Assistant due to the nature of that specific role. Other students who are employed by the university may volunteer but must follow the confidentiality policies while volunteering at The Haven AND must follow the reporting obligations when at work as an employee of the university. |