Volunteer

Current Volunteer Advocates: please click here to access the on-call scheduling website.

Are you feeling helpless about the rise of violence in your community? You can do something about it! Volunteers, of all genders, are needed in Manhattan and Queens emergency rooms to help survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence (IPV). Mount Sinai’s Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention (SAVI) Program Volunteer Advocates offer comfort as well as provide important information to help survivors regain control over their lives and help begin their healing process.

SAVI Volunteer Advocates are trained to support survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, responding to Emergency Departments (EDs) throughout Manhattan and Queens.

To apply to volunteer, please click here. We are accepting rolling admission year-round, and will reach out to you when a training is scheduled. Next training: October 2023 and March 2024.

Interested candidates must be able to meet the following minimum requirements in order to participate in SAVI’s Volunteer Advocate Program:

  • Be at least 21 years of age
  • Current residency in Queens, Manhattan or Brooklyn to be close to the hospitals we serve. (Some areas of Queens and Manhattan are also out of our catchment area – this is based on ZIP code)
  • Ability to participate in person in the interview process (group or individual)
  • Successfully complete the required Mount Sinai Hospital Volunteer Department medical, drug, and background screenings
  • Ability to attend all sessions of the 40-hour New York State Department of Health training provided by SAVI.
  • Willing to commit to a minimum of three shifts per month, for at least one year. Shift times are as follows:
    • Midnight to 6:00 AM
    • 6:00 AM to Noon
    • Noon to 6:00 PM
    • 6:00 PM to Midnight

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about the SAVI Program we receive at Mount Sinai.

Can I choose what times I am on call?
Yes. As long as you honor your commitment (see above), you can choose shifts based on what works best within your schedule.

Do I have to go to cases in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn?
Yes. We ask that our Advocates attend to cases in both boroughs. We do provide car transportation to and from cases to make it easier. If I have trained as an Advocate for another program, do I have to do the SAVI training as well? Yes. Each training session is specific to the hospital(s) it serves and mandated by the Department of Health.

Do I need to be in a social service field to do this volunteer work?
No. We have Advocates that come from all different types of career paths and we welcome that diversity!

Thank you again for your passion and interest in working with survivors through Mount Sinai SAVI’s Volunteer Advocate Training program. We look forward to speaking with, and hopefully meeting, you in the future!

For information on other programs or training, please call us at 212-423-2140