As someone who works at Our Voice, I get to witness every day just how vital our volunteers are to the work we do. Whether it’s a crisis line volunteer comforting a survivor at 2 a.m., or a prevention volunteer talking at a tabling event about healthy relationships, our volunteers are the heartbeat of this organization.
If you’re passionate about social justice, survivor advocacy, or prevention education, we’d love to have you join us.
Who We Are
Our Voice is Buncombe County’s rape crisis and anti-human trafficking agency. We provide support and services for survivors aged 13 and older who have experienced sexual violence or human trafficking, and we work to prevent harm through education and outreach. Our services include a 24/7 crisis line, individual counseling, hospital accompaniment, legal advocacy, case management, and community education.
But we couldn’t do it all without the help of trained, committed volunteers.
What Volunteers Do
We offer several ways to get involved, depending on your comfort level, interests, and availability.
1. Crisis Line Volunteers
These volunteers are trained to answer our 24/7 crisis line and respond to hospital accompaniment calls. They are often the first voice a survivor hears when they reach out for help. Crisis line volunteers receive comprehensive training, ongoing support, and always have backup if they need it. This role requires emotional steadiness, compassion, and reliability.
2. Outreach and Tabling Volunteers
If you’re more extroverted or love engaging with the community, this is a great fit. These volunteers help us at tabling events like festivals, community fairs, and awareness campaigns. They hand out information, answer basic questions about our services, and help connect people to resources.
3. Prevention Education Volunteers (PEOs)
Our Prevention Education and Outreach (PEO) volunteers are trained to co-facilitate educational presentations in local schools and youth spaces. They help teach middle and high school students about topics like consent, boundaries, harassment, and bystander intervention. PEOs commit to 4–6 hours of service each month and receive 21 hours of specialized training plus shadowing opportunities.
How to Get Involved
The first step is to visit our website and fill out the Volunteer Interest Form. Once we receive your form, our Volunteer & Intern Coordinator will reach out with more information about upcoming trainings and next steps.
You’ll need to:
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Complete a volunteer application
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Pass a background check (for direct service roles)
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Complete a mandatory training
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Commit to ongoing involvement and communication
Each role comes with its own expectations and level of commitment, but we do our best to match you with something that aligns with your strengths and availability.
Internships
We also offer internship opportunities for those looking to build skills or gain professional experience. Internship roles include:
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Sexual Violence & Human Trafficking Internship
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Prevention Education Internship
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Marketing & Communications
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Counseling (limited, and typically placed for the academic year)
If you’re a student or emerging professional who’s passionate about survivor advocacy, these roles provide hands-on learning in a highly supportive environment.
Final Thought
Volunteering at Our Voice isn’t always easy—it requires openness, compassion, and a willingness to confront tough topics. But it’s also some of the most meaningful and affirming work you can do. I’ve seen volunteers walk away from a hospital accompaniment knowing they helped someone through one of the hardest moments of their life. I’ve watched prevention volunteers inspire students to think differently about relationships and respect.
If any of this resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Visit ourvoicenc.org/volunteer to get started, and let’s talk about how you can become part of the work to build a safer, more empowered community.
We’re always here—and we’d be honored to have you with us.