Women's Aid trains two groups of volunteers twice yearly. The training is intense, involving a time commitment but aims to faciliate women who work outside the home and so takes place on Saturdays and evenings (3 x Saturdays and 8 x evenings). It is carried out by the Women's Aid Training Unit and other relevant external agencies.

The training includes:

• Definitions and Effects of Abuse

• Options and Obstacles for Women in Abusive Relationships

• Political Structures which keep women in Abusive Relationships

• The Effects of Abuse on Children

• Personal Awareness Work

• Listening skills

• Legal Options for women in abusive relationships

• Custody and Maintenance Issues

• Social welfare Entitlements

• Housing Entitlements

All volunteers agree to work in a non-judgmental, non-directive fashion, and from the Women's Aid self-help, mutual aid policy. This model of work is about empowering women to make decisions rather than about "helping" them.

Women's Aid Helpline Training has an excellent reputation and is recognised as one of the best by a Domestic Violence Service Provider in the Republic. When Women's Aid invest this training in potential volunteers we ask volunteers to give a committment of at least one year to our Helpline Service, although there is no upper limit on the amount of time a volunteer may stay with the service. Indeed some of our volunteers are still with us 8 years on.

"When women tell you that they feel better after talking to you, it makes the work worthwhile." Women's Aid Helpline Volunteer, 1999.

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