More supporters for Waimarino victims

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 664, 26 November 1996, Page 7

More supporters for Waimarino victims

Victim support in the Waimarino increased their numbers by the addition of four new support workers Monday last week. A graduation ceremony was held in the Ohakune District Council offices and the new support workers and coordinator were sworn in. Victim Support in the Waimarino started when the then sergeant of the police station in Ohakune, Bob Evans, called a meeting of people who were interested in supporting victims of crime, accident or emergency, in late 1993. From this meeting a steering committee was formed to get victim support up and running in the Waimarino. In August 1994 the first training for volunteers was held over two weekends at Ruapehu College. After training for two full weekends and also training in police procedures, court procedures, the role of the funeral director and a very intensi ve interview process, the first six volunteer workers

graduated in 1994. In 1995 three more volunteers trained inTaupo, and the last four volunteers trained in Waiouru to join with the original workers on Monday. Due to transfers out of the area and other commitments, four have since resigned but with the new trainees the number of volunteer workers now stands at nine. Short term help The aim of the group is to aid, assist and provide support to the victims of crime, accident or emergency. This is short-term intervention rather than long term counselling. Generally people are referred to the service by the police but can be referred by other organisations or even request the service themselves. Victim Support groups were formed as a result of a directive from the Justice Department that victims of crime should receive support. There were many avenues of support available to offenders but often the victims were left without anything so people who had a genuine concern for the rights of victims got together and formed an organisation to address these needs. Victim Support is funded by donations from people concerned about the rights of victims and at a National level by Telecom. The Waimarino Group have received funding from CFA, COGS, The Lotteries Commission, REAP, The Ohakune Hotel Trust, The Thomas George McCarthy T rust and the Police Di version scheme. Telecom, Ruapehu Lions, The Ohakune Club and Country Women' s Institute have donated soft toys and Ruapehu Rotary donated pagers for 24-hour contact. The Victim Support volunteers and the management

committee of 12 people elected at the AGM, to oversee the use of donated money, approve training and appoint the co-ordinator and workers, are all volunteers. The money for Victim Support is used to pay for training for the volunteer workers and the wages of a part-time co-ordinator who does most of the paperwork and processes the returns required by National Office and the figures required to apply to the various funding agencies. Victim Support volunteers are trained to listen,

they can answer any questions victims may have about their treatment or the various procedures that have to be gone through by the police or other emergency organisations and arrange contact with other support organisations if this is what the victim requests. The volunteers have sworn an oath of confidentiality. Victim Support may be contacted by calling the Police. "The reason volunteers are not paid is not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless," is an adage from the National Office of Victim Support.