Victim Support is an independent incorporated society that provides a free 24 / 7 community response to help victims of serious crime and trauma. Volunteers are at the heart of our service. Our free service provides emotional and practical support, information, referral to other support services and advocacy for the rights of victims. This support helps victims find strength, hope and safety in the face of grief and trauma at what may be the worst time of their life.Our work is carried out by highly trained front line volunteer Support Workers. Our governing body is made up of representatives from 33 Local Group Committees who are also volunteers. We can only keep our 24 / 7 service free with the ongoing help of our community. Would you like to be involved?
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Services Offered
Coping with homicide - Vaka Tautua offers a mental health community support service, underpinned by the POPAO model (a Pacific recovery and strength concept) that is pivotal to the recovery of service users by empowering them through their journey towards recovery. The model also works toward breaking down the discriminatory attitudes held by society towards people with mental illness.
Victims of sexual abuse or family violence - may be experiencing a range of emotional and physical reactions following the traumatic event. Victim Support is here to help you. Please call us on 0800 842 846 to be will put in touch with the right person to help you. Our specially trained volunteer Support Workers provide support to people affected by sexual abuse or family violence. We help victims to be in control of getting their lives back on track, ensure they get the services they need and that their rights upheld. People who receive adequate support and information are more likely to remain connected in a positive way with their whanau, family and local community and are better placed to rebuild their lives. Here's a list of websites for other organisations that may be helpful to you: After a suicide - It can be difficult to accept, but the body may have to remain at the scene for some time until a full forensic investigation takes place. It's important that all relevant evidence is collected to confirm the cause of death as a suicide. When all the forensic evidence has been gathered, the body will be taken by a funeral director to the mortuary (located at the hospital). This is organised by the police and there is no cost to you. When the body is released, the family / whanau may ask to view it. This can be organised through the funeral director. You decide on the funeral director you want to arrange the funeral, it does not have to be the funeral director who moved the body for the police. You need to be prepared for the fact that: Helping with stress after a disaster - There are many forms of disaster: those that happen naturally such as flood and earthquake, to such things as home invasion, serious traffic accidents and serious criminal acts and accidents. Trauma is the emotional response to an extremely negative event. While trauma is a normal reaction to a horrible event, the effects can be so severe that they interfere with an individual's ability to get on with their life. Everyone has a different response, but it is widely accepted that if victims of crime and trauma are not provided with adequate support in the immediate aftermath they are at greater risk of experiencing things such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and repeat victimisation.
Fees and Payment
This is a registered charity.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens Children
Payment: Pro-bono
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A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.