Keene State College students now more than ever are showing their presence in the Keene, New Hampshire, community through volunteer programs such as the Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention, or the MCVP.
The MCVP was formed in 1978 and helps women, men and children who have had experiences with domestic violence and/or stalking.
The MCVP will also help people with their restraining orders, child custody agreements and other situations regarding legality issues, KSC volunteer Becky Innerfield said.
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According to Robin Christopherson, executive director of MCVP, the organization’s vision is to have a community where interpersonal violence has been replaced by equality, empowerment and emotional and physical safety.
The MCVP’s mission is to respond to domestic and sexual violence and stalking in the community by providing a care and support system for survivors; to work to end interpersonal violence in all forms through primary prevention, community engagement and collaboration.
All of MCVP’s programs and services are free and confidential, which include a twenty-four hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter/safe house for victims in need of housing, advocacy assistance to victims for matters relating to court, support groups and peer counseling, safety planning and programs to train area professionals.
“I heard about the MCVP program through an advisor who mentioned it as an option for an internship. I decided to follow through with working there because I am both a psychology major and a substance abuse/addictions minor. Through the MCVP, I get the experience of working with people individually and helping them with whatever they need,” Innerfield said.
However, the unique experience that the MCVP provides its interns and volunteers with is nearly unparalleled, according to Innerfield, due to the exposure of real-life situations that prove to be beneficial on not only a personal level, but a professional level as well.
“As a volunteer at MCVP, you are expected to be able to carry out a lot of different and interesting tasks including answering the phones for the crisis hotline, along with meeting with clients that come in for help,” Innerfield said.
Innerfield continued, “Volunteering there has benefited me because now I know more about working with people who need help and how to talk someone through a rough situation without telling them exactly what to do. It can be difficult working there at times due to how some people’s stories can affect you in ways you didn’t think they would, but the others who work alongside me are able to help and talk you through it,” Innerfield stated.
Although Jason Shell, junior, does not plan on going into a field relating to the services that the MCVP provides, he said he finds that volunteering for them could be beneficial.
“I haven’t really been involved with the volunteering aspect of Keene State [College] because I never gave much thought about what I would want to volunteer for,” Shell said.
Shell continued, “However, after hearing about the MCVP, I think that it is something worth donating time to. I’ve always been interested in helping people, I just never found something that truly grabbed my interest. I would definitely look further into the volunteer programs offered by the MCVP because it seems to help a wide variety of people in so many different ways.”
However, KSC students are not the only participants who benefit from their time served at MCVP, which makes for a well-rounded volunteer experience.
“Students directly benefit the people we serve. They take administrative tasks off a staff person’s plate so they are able to focus on other work, considering it all needs to get done, and by also educating the community we serve,” Christopherson said.
Amanda Lashua can be contacted at alashua@keene-equinox.com