In response to local Judge Graciela Freixes request for trained advocates to stand with and support local victims of domestic violence in court, the Santa Clarita Valley Zonta Club and Soroptimists, in cooperation with the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley, have scheduled a special training for volunteers to meet this need.

A special training for volunteers has been set for Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at the City of Santa Clarita Activities Center, located at 20880 Center Pointe Parkway. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the training session will be from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The advocacy training organization is giving us a special price of $75 per person for the four hour training.

“When victims of domestic violence go to court, they are often scared and intimidated. Having a trained advocate to provide that moral support makes a world of difference,” explains Tracy West, Executive Director for the Domestic Violence Center.

The committee's expectation is that all of the people who take the training will sign up to be a court advocate volunteer. The training is open to all community members.

For those who do not wish to take the training but want to sponsor someone to receive it, there is also an "Adopt an Advocate" program where other members of the community can donate any sum they would like to help pay for the training of Domestic Violence Center staff to become Domestic Violence Court Advocates. On average, the Domestic Violence Center needs $250 per staff member to cover the cost of their training.

Checks can be mailed to: P.O. Box 220037, Newhall, CA 91322- Please write on the check memo area: "DVCAP Training." To sign up for this exciting new program, please email: t.westDVC@gmail.com or call Tracy West at 661-259-8175 ext. 12.