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Victim Services looking for board members, advocates

Heartland Victim Services is looking for people who are able to help those who have suffered from crime or tragedy.

Heartland Victim Services is looking for people who are able to help those who have suffered from crime or tragedy, either as a front-line advocate or a behind-the-scenes board member.

The local organization is hosting its annual general meeting tonight, Wednesday May 18, at 5 p.m. in the Stettler Hospital boardroom. The meeting is open to the public and supper is provided.

Advocates help victims of crime or tragedy in many ways. Some go to court to gather details on a case's progress, allowing the victim to stay away from the legal arena. Others will attend with police to help support a family on the receipt of bad news. These are just two ways of many advocates help out.

Training, which is both provided through online lessons and in-person training, is free. An RCMP enhanced security check is required, which is done at no cost to the potential advocate. People with criminal records aren't automatically rejected; the group will look at the record, its severity, the time since the conviction and the behaviour since, Hamilton said.

"We've had a few people who've had DUIs from years ago," she said, noting that those individuals never re-offended.

Advocates are on call, since crime and tragedy doesn't wait until it's convenient. If this sort of on-call life isn't possible, a place on the board may be the right fit, according to Pat Hamilton, director of HVS. As a board member, people can help the organization from behind the scenes, handling the decision making processes that keep the group running.

People who can't make the meeting and are interested in finding out more, you can contact Hamilton through the Stettler RCMP detachment at 403-742-3382. While Victim Services is located at the Stettler RCMP detachment, the organization is completely independent.