Supervision

Conversations about how to integrate support for advocates that mitigates vicarious trauma have become common within our organizations, but the need to put these conversations into practice is greater than ever. While widespread coverage about the prevalence of sexual violence has gained traction with the #MeToo movement, resources for organizations haven’t seen much of an increase to meet the need. This requires managers and executive directors to find creative, low-cost ways to support…

At WCSAP we are always working to support programs. Sometimes that means taking time to stop and recognize the amazing work that’s being done and the strength, compassion, and drive it takes for advocates to provide ongoing services.

Recognizing Staff

Programs are generally really good at recognizing volunteers and contributors but sometimes they lose sight of those providing the services. Taking the time to genuinely show appreciation has proven to increase productivity,…

The Office for Victims of Crimes (OVC) has recently released two free resources that should be helpful to community sexual assault program managers:

• A downloadable publication called Strengthening Sexual Assault Victims' Right to Privacy that focuses on maintaining victim confidentiality. It contains key principles, information on challenges, and tips for advocates (…

The annual performance review can be an excellent opportunity to work individually with staff members to enhance their skills and abilities as well as their job satisfaction. Some managers (and some employees) dread performance reviews, seeing them as the venue for telling unwelcome truths. Done properly, however, these meetings can enhance your relationships with staff and volunteers.

• There should not be any surprises. Performance problems should be…

Highlights from New Report

The Building Movement Project’s Race to Lead is a series that seeks to understand why there are still so few leaders of color in the nonprofit sector. This report looks beyond race alone to also examine the impact of both race and gender on the aspirations, experiences, and career
advancement of Women of Color working in the nonprofit sector.

Key Findings

1. Racial and gender biases create barriers to advancement for Women of…

This training will provide program leaders with a deeper dive into inequitable service provision and how it shows up in programs, negatively impacts all staff, and interrupts safety and security for survivors of color and other marginalized communities. Participants will also be provided with culturally relevant approaches and strategies that support racial equity in hiring policies, programs, and partnerships.

Zoe also delivered a similar training that is specifically designed for…

Vicarious trauma is a consequence of working within the field of sexual assault and domestic violence. Research shows that it impacts most practitioners at some point in their careers, yet few organizations have policies in place to prevent or mitigate its negative effects. In this training you will learn about factors that contribute to vicarious trauma, how it can impact staff members, and how to create supportive practices to address the vicarious trauma needs within your organization…

Terminating an employee is usually at the top of a manager's "Things I Hate to Do" list. Many sexual assault programs have a "family" feel to them, and it's tough to come to a parting of the ways within a close-knit organization. Nonetheless, no one benefits when you continue to hold onto an employee who is not fulfilling job requirements, who is too burned-out to function, or whose toxic attitude is damaging the organization as a whole. When the time comes to say goodbye, there are some…

Even though we work in the anti-violence field, we sometimes overlook the need for workplace violence prevention and intervention plans for our own programs. While agencies may be well aware of the risk of violence from an abuser who is connected to a client, we may not consider the possibility of employee-to-employee violence, risk from someone who is stalking or abusing a staff member, or threats from a worker whose employment is being terminated.

Managers could use the following…