BRATTLEBORO — 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 juvenile cases and adult cases referred to the program at the discretion of the State's Attorney's Office.
According to Sally Struble, Youth Services' director of restorative justice programs, court diversion's 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 those who offended accountable for their conduct.
The monthly panels take place in Bellows Falls and Brattleboro at a range of times during the day and evening. Panels have moved to Zoom during the pandemic, but organizers expect in-person meetings to resume once the danger of COVID-19 has passed.
Struble believes that this volunteer opportunity, which requires a little over two hours a month, carries an impact far greater than its modest time commitment might suggest.
“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 prerequisite,” Struble said in a news release.
Before joining a panel, new recruits participate in a series of two-hour evening trainings on Zoom. Upcoming trainings will take place this month and in June.
These sessions orient prospective volunteers to Youth Services' philosophy and trauma-informed approach to building communities that are healthy, empowered, and valued.
For more information or to request a volunteer application, email VISTA Member/Volunteer Coordinator and Development Assistant Samantha French at [email protected], or call 802-257-0361 ext. 134.