\u201cWhen we first arrived at the new police station we didn\u2019t even have a room for the centre,\u201d explained Wilna Berry, coordinator of the Elsburg SAPS Victim Empowerment Centre\/Trauma Centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we were finally given a space for the centre there was nothing but blank walls.<\/p>
\u201cBut with the help of our sponsors, MBFI in Delmas and Help Busters in Boksburg, we were able to get our centre up and running.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey donated everything we needed to set-up the centre.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wadeville Business Against Crime (WBAC) also assisted the centre by printing business cards and pamphlets.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ: Unite to end violence against the abuse of women and girls<\/a><\/h4>\nUntil the official opening of the centre, volunteers continued to work at the station, responding to calls and using the station\u2019s boardroom for counselling sessions, but Wilna is thrilled they now have a proper place to carry out their work.<\/p>\n
She further thanked Elsburg SAPS station commander Col Linah Thethe, head of Vispol for Elsburg Lt Col Roelien Opperman and representatives from the Gauteng Department of Community Safety Phumzile Masombuka and Duncan Sibuyi for their support in getting the centre ready.<\/p>\n
Now that the Elsburg SAPS Victim Empowerment Centre\/Trauma Centre is ready the six volunteers, including Berry, can focus on helping the victims of crime in their precinct.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main aim of the trauma centre is to provide immediate service to victims of crime, as well as to take all their needs into account, as this will help them to feel empowered,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are there to assist, support and calm the victims and to provide information as to what will happen next.\u201d<\/p>\n
To continue to help victims in need, the centre hopes to grow its numbers in the new year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking for more volunteers, and will be starting the intake of new volunteers in January,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
Interested parties do not need to have any qualifications, but Dave Etherington, from Help Busters, explained a passion for helping people is vital.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou really need to be passionate about helping people,\u201d said Etherington.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome scenes are quite difficult and you also need to be quite strong.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot expect it to be a normal day\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n
ALSO READ: 16 Days of Activism: Centre offers victims love and care<\/a><\/h4>\nElsburg SAPS Victim Empowerment Centre\/Trauma Centre volunteers, who are each expected to work 16 hours a month, are called to different scenes, which can include house robberies, hijackings, rapes, domestic violence, murders, suicides, bullying and trauma scenes.<\/p>\n
Berry explained that each prospective volunteer will have an interview before joining the centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the interview, we will ask why they want to be a volunteer,\u201d explained Berry.<\/p>\n
After this, the successful candidate will be sent for training.<\/p>\n
The training, done by Tammy du Plooy from the Alberton Victim Empowerment Centre (VEC), includes modules in trauma, rape, domestic violence and bullying.<\/p>\n
Once the volunteer has completed his\/her training they will begin working their hours.<\/p>\n
Berry explained that for safety reasons, volunteers often go to scenes in pairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe police must also always be on the scene,\u201d Berry explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is again for safety reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we receive a call directly from a victim we will alert the police about the crime before going to the scene, but more often we are called to scenes by the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
When on scene, volunteers will use their training to assess the situation and then provide the best support for a victim.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the case of rape, we will support and calm the victim as best we can and advise them about what is going to happen next,\u201d explained Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some cases, we will accompany them to the Bertha Gxowa Care Centre where evidence will be collected.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe victim will be accompanied back to our centre, where she will be given a comfort pack and an opportunity to shower.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will then start the counselling process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each victim receives two counselling sessions, after which if they need further assistance they will be referred to the relevant specialists.<\/p>\n
Victims who cannot afford private counselling or psychology sessions will be referred to the Alberton VEC, who can assist.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will also explain during the counselling session the steps going forward, for example, in the case of domestic violence, the victim will need to get a protection order and we will explain this process,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
But this isn\u2019t where the centre\u2019s journey with the victim ends, they will still have two follow-up sessions with the victim, after the referral.<\/p>\n
Though someone may not be in the centre physically at all times, a volunteer will always be on call.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take it in turns to man the centre\u2019s cellphone so that someone is always available,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen volunteers do their hours at the station, they do not just sit in the centre and wait for calls they will often go and help in the charge office, helping with accident reports, affidavits or certifications.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough we cannot legally sign the documents we can help the officers by getting everything in order so they can go through it and sign it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing in the charge office also makes us more visible to the community, as we are always in our official T-shirts with our ID tags.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to helping victims of crime, the centre\u2019s volunteers also plan and hold various outreach projects and awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of our outreach efforts included our soup and blanket drive, where we handed out blankets and soup to the homeless in Elsburg,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to continue with our homeless outreach project this December by making up toiletry packages which will be handed out to the homeless.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also visit schools where we hand out sanitary towels to girls who cannot afford them.\u201d<\/p>\n
To help the centre continue with their work, the community is encouraged to donate items to make up comfort packs, this includes soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, face cloths, clothes, tissues, new panties, deodorant (both spray and roll-on) and sanitary towels.<\/p>\n
They are also encouraged to donate sanitary towels for the centre\u2019s school outreach programme.<\/p>\n
For more information on the centre, to find out how to become a volunteer or to make a donation, call the centre on 078 708 9965, or send an email to Berry at wilnaberry1@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\nHav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\nContact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Ashley Kiley (Journalist)\u00a0ashleyk@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nAlso follow us on:<\/p>\n
Elsburg SAPS Victim Empowerment Centre\/Trauma Centre volunteers, who are each expected to work 16 hours a month, are called to different scenes, which can include house robberies, hijackings, rapes, domestic violence, murders, suicides, bullying and trauma scenes.<\/p>\n
Berry explained that each prospective volunteer will have an interview before joining the centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the interview, we will ask why they want to be a volunteer,\u201d explained Berry.<\/p>\n
After this, the successful candidate will be sent for training.<\/p>\n
The training, done by Tammy du Plooy from the Alberton Victim Empowerment Centre (VEC), includes modules in trauma, rape, domestic violence and bullying.<\/p>\n
Once the volunteer has completed his\/her training they will begin working their hours.<\/p>\n
Berry explained that for safety reasons, volunteers often go to scenes in pairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe police must also always be on the scene,\u201d Berry explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is again for safety reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we receive a call directly from a victim we will alert the police about the crime before going to the scene, but more often we are called to scenes by the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
When on scene, volunteers will use their training to assess the situation and then provide the best support for a victim.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the case of rape, we will support and calm the victim as best we can and advise them about what is going to happen next,\u201d explained Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some cases, we will accompany them to the Bertha Gxowa Care Centre where evidence will be collected.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe victim will be accompanied back to our centre, where she will be given a comfort pack and an opportunity to shower.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will then start the counselling process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each victim receives two counselling sessions, after which if they need further assistance they will be referred to the relevant specialists.<\/p>\n
Victims who cannot afford private counselling or psychology sessions will be referred to the Alberton VEC, who can assist.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will also explain during the counselling session the steps going forward, for example, in the case of domestic violence, the victim will need to get a protection order and we will explain this process,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
But this isn\u2019t where the centre\u2019s journey with the victim ends, they will still have two follow-up sessions with the victim, after the referral.<\/p>\n
Though someone may not be in the centre physically at all times, a volunteer will always be on call.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take it in turns to man the centre\u2019s cellphone so that someone is always available,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen volunteers do their hours at the station, they do not just sit in the centre and wait for calls they will often go and help in the charge office, helping with accident reports, affidavits or certifications.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough we cannot legally sign the documents we can help the officers by getting everything in order so they can go through it and sign it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing in the charge office also makes us more visible to the community, as we are always in our official T-shirts with our ID tags.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to helping victims of crime, the centre\u2019s volunteers also plan and hold various outreach projects and awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of our outreach efforts included our soup and blanket drive, where we handed out blankets and soup to the homeless in Elsburg,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to continue with our homeless outreach project this December by making up toiletry packages which will be handed out to the homeless.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also visit schools where we hand out sanitary towels to girls who cannot afford them.\u201d<\/p>\n
To help the centre continue with their work, the community is encouraged to donate items to make up comfort packs, this includes soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, face cloths, clothes, tissues, new panties, deodorant (both spray and roll-on) and sanitary towels.<\/p>\n
They are also encouraged to donate sanitary towels for the centre\u2019s school outreach programme.<\/p>\n
For more information on the centre, to find out how to become a volunteer or to make a donation, call the centre on 078 708 9965, or send an email to Berry at wilnaberry1@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Ashley Kiley (Journalist)\u00a0ashleyk@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Also follow us on:<\/p>\n
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