Trauma Intervention Program Seeks Volunteers

For local residents interested in making a difference in the lives of those affected by trauma, has an invitation for you.

As executive director of the Trauma Intervention Programs of Southwest Riverside County, Magee has announced the organization is seeking volunteers to take part in a training academy at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta beginning June 19 and running through June 30.

The nearly 55-hour instruction spans eight days and includes a one-on-one interview, an orientation, intense emotional training, a policies and procedures course, and a graduation ceremony.

Once training is complete, volunteers are ready to begin service, helping those in the local community affected by death, crime, fire, accidents, or other life-altering heartbreak.

Read more about TIP and Gina Magee

“It takes a special person to take on someone else’s pain,” Magee said of the volunteer work. “You need to be able to connect. You need to be able to cry.”

Magee said volunteers are the shoulders to lean on in a crisis and are called into difficult situations by law enforcement, fire and hospital officials.

“We take the pain off the first responders so they can do their job,” Magee explained.

Prerequisites for the work include a clean Department of Justice background check and a good driving record. The volunteer post also requires an availability commitment of three 12-hour shifts per month.

Teens can also serve as TIP volunteers to aid young people affected by trauma. Kids 14 through 16 years of age must have a TIP-certified parent; teens 16 and older with a valid driver’s license are not required to have a TIP-trained parent.

For more information about the volunteer work and the training, call 951-698-2453 or 951-226-6793.