Youth Services is seeking volunteers to serve on its Court Diversion panels in the New Year. Court Diversion is a voluntary, confidential alternative to court proceedings for certain juveniles and adult cases referred to Court Diversion on an individual basis by the State’s Attorney’s Office.
According to Sally Struble, Youth Services’ Director of Restorative Justice Programs, its underlying intent is to repair harm that is caused by the crime and to address underlying conditions that led to the offense. Youth Services relies on community volunteers to represent community values to hold the person who offended accountable for his or her conduct.
The locations of the panels and the time they meet vary: there are openings in Bellows Falls and Brattleboro, some are held during the day, others in the evening, all once a month. Panels have moved to Zoom during the pandemic but the expectation is that they will resume meeting in person once the danger of COVID-19 has passed.
Struble claimed that this volunteer opportunity, of a little over two hours a month, carries an impact far greater that its modest time commitment. “We are looking for panelists who are from all walks of life, and especially encourage young people to apply. Open-mindedness and compassion is truly the only pre-requisite,” Struble explained.
Before joining a panel, new recruits participate in a series of 2 hr. evening trainings on Zoom which orients prospective volunteers to Youth Services’ philosophy and trauma-informed approach to building communities that are healthy empowered and valued. Upcoming trainings are during the months of January and June.
For more information or to request a volunteer application, email Samantha.French@youthservicesinc.org or call 802-257-0361 ext 134.
