Volunteer
I want to donate my time to help people in my community affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.
Volunteer of the Month
Sofia
Featured Volunteer of the Month: August 2026
Volunteer Start Date: August 2025
Time Served: 165 Hours
Sofia is a University of San Diego student, majoring in International Relations and History. During the school year, she works as an on-campus peer educator for relationship and sexual violence prevention. During school breaks, she returns to Chico to volunteer her time at Catalyst. After graduation, she hopes to attend law school to become an attorney who specializes in working with survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
Sofia felt drawn to volunteer with Catalyst after our Prevention Advocate came to present at her high school campus. “I deeply admire everything about the agency,” Sofia said, adding that helping survivors feel safe and empowered has been a truly fulfilling experience to her.
During her time volunteering, some of her advocacy has included answering crisis hotline calls, helping with organizational projects such as sorting donation items, and representing Catalyst at community tabling events. But her favorite part of volunteering has been providing childcare for survivors when needed: she loves creating a safe, playful environment for the kids and helping survivors take time for themselves.
Sofia is a joy to be around, and her happy personality and willingness to help others shines through in everything she does. We are lucky to have her as a volunteer!
Thank you, Sofia, for all of the AMAZING volunteer work that you do!
Fun Facts: Sofia loves traveling and has visited 13 countries, including studying abroad in Spain! Her favorite homemade food is her parent’s carne asada tacos. While in Chico, she loves to stay active through attending hot yoga and pilates classes with her mom. While in San Diego, she spends her free time at the beach whenever possible. Relaxing with some reality TV is one of her favorite ways to decompress! She is a “huge dog person” with three pups of her own: a Chihuahua named Pawko, a Papillon mix named Nacho, and a Lhasa Apso named Tito.
We love our volunteers!
Summer 2026 Class of Volunteers
Next Training Opportunity:
Winter 2027 – Evenings & Weekends (dates and times to be determined)
In-person, Chico, CA
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Crisis intervention on the 24-hour hotline;
- Direct support to participants in our housing programs and drop-in offices (Chico and Oroville);
- On-call Sexual Assault Forensic Exam accompaniment;
- Assistance in the Children’s Program;
- Legal advocacy and court accompaniment;
- Educational groups for HAVEN residents;
- Providing information at community events;
- Administrative assistance.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
- A minimum commitment of 6 service hours per week for no less than 6 months (volunteers are
welcomed and encouraged to continue with the program after 6 months); - Completion of 65-hour domestic violence and sexual assault counselor training (CA Evidence Codes 1037.1 & 1035.2);
- Completion of screening and background check;
- Participation in 8-hours continuing education per year offered by Catalyst.
If you are interested in volunteering with Catalyst, please review the Volunteer Job Description and the Volunteer Training Schedule, then complete the online application by clicking the link below. Please note that during the application process, you will be prompted to agree to the responsibilities listed in the job description and to the training dates listed in the schedule.
Training is required for all new volunteers, interns, and staff. Class space is limited to 20 total participants. Apply as soon as possible. Interview is required.
