Help Prevent Child Abuse: Become a Parent Aide

The Child Abuse Prevention Center of NY Announces Fall Volunteer Training Dates; Learn Important Social Skills While Helping and Empowering Parents at Risk
January 13, 2012

The Child Abuse Prevention Center of New York, located in White Plains, is calling for Parent Aide Volunteers to assist parents “at risk” for abusing their children. No prior experience is necessary and volunteers are welcome from throughout Westchester and surrounding Counties. UPDATE Tues. Jan. 17: If you schedule an orientation before January 21, you’ll be in time to attend two Saturday training sessions on January 21 and 28.

Parent Aide Volunteers will spend approximately one hour each week supporting an assigned parent, but must first complete a 12-hour training course that provides them with the knowledge they need to become “nurturing, supportive role models to parents who need help dealing with their parenting concerns,” says Laura Schwartz, Executive Director, Child Abuse Prevention Center.

She continued, “Our Parent Aide Volunteers are an essential and integral part of the Center – they usually provide a critical 50% of the support to families.”

According to Linda Paver, Assistant Executive Director, Child Abuse Prevention Center, the majority of the people who go through the training program at the Child Abuse Prevention Center find it rewarding and useful in their own lives.  “Our Parent Aide Volunteers have all said that the information they picked up at our training sessions actually helped them in situations encountered in day-to-day living.  It’s truly a wonderful and rewarding experience for all.”

Anyone interested in volunteering should call the Child Abuse Prevention Center to schedule an orientation date anytime that’s convenient for them. This orientation will be followed by a choice of two six-hour training date sessions, next offered on Saturday, January 21 and Saturday, January 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  There’s still time to schedule an orientation meeting with the Center, a prerequisite for attending the workshops.

To volunteer, contact Linda Paver (LCSW-R), Assistant Executive Director by phone at 914-997-2642, or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The Child Abuse Prevention Center is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to significantly reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect in Westchester County, New York. The CAPC provides parents with the tools they need to raise their children to be happy, healthy, and productive members of the community and has an over 90% success record working with families throughout Westchester County.