Volunteer & Pro Bono Opportunities to Support Survivors
Volare offers volunteer and pro bono opportunities for attorneys, professionals, creatives, publicists, and community members who want to support survivors of crime.
Why volunteer with Volare?
Volunteering with Volare is a meaningful way to support survivors while using your skills, building experience, and helping increase access to legal and community-based services. Whether you are an attorney looking for pro bono legal opportunities, a professional who wants to volunteer your expertise, or someone seeking general volunteer opportunities with a nonprofit, there are many ways to get involved.
Pro bono opportunities for attorneys
co-counseling
Volare offers pro bono opportunities for attorneys and legal professionals to represent survivors alongside Volare staff attorneys. Pro bono volunteers work directly with our team to provide legal representation in a range of matters in Washington, DC and across the country.
In DC, pro bono attorneys can support survivors in crime victims’ rights cases, civil protection order and anti-stalking order proceedings, and Title IX and Clery Act matters. Pro bono volunteers may also represent survivors in appellate cases nationwide through DV LEAP, helping advance legal protections for survivors through strategic litigation.
research
Volare also offers research opportunities for attorneys who want to support survivors through legal research and policy analysis. Attorneys can contribute their expertise by assisting with projects that strengthen survivor advocacy, inform litigation strategies, and advance legal protections for survivors.
Research volunteers may help with 50-state legal surveys, model legislation research, case law analysis, and policy reviews related to crime victims’ rights, protection orders, Title IX, and other issues affecting survivors. These opportunities allow attorneys to contribute meaningful legal work while helping expand access to justice for survivors nationwide.
hard referrals
Volare also offers hard referral opportunities for attorneys who want to represent survivors independently. When Volare cannot take a case due to capacity or because the matter falls outside our direct representation areas, we may connect survivors with attorneys who are willing to provide legal assistance through referral.
These referrals may involve a variety of legal issues affecting survivors, including family law, housing, employment, immigration, and other civil matters. Attorneys who accept hard referrals play an important role in expanding access to legal services for survivors by helping ensure individuals can still obtain representation even when Volare is unable to take a case directly.
you can make a difference.
Pro Bono Opportunities for Non-Attorney Professionals
Volare also offers professional volunteer and pro bono opportunities for non-attorney professionals who want to support survivors by sharing their expertise. Professionals from a wide range of fields can contribute their skills to help strengthen survivor advocacy, expand access to resources, and support Volare’s programs and initiatives.
Depending on their background, professional volunteers may assist with projects such as communications and media outreach, marketing and design, research and data analysis, financial education, forensic accounting, human resources guidance, and other specialized consulting support. Professionals can also help amplify survivor stories, support advocacy efforts, and contribute strategic expertise that advances justice for survivors.
These opportunities allow professionals to volunteer with a nonprofit while applying their unique skillset to meaningful work that helps survivors heal, access services, and pursue justice.
anyone can participate
Survivors’ Rights Watch
Survivors’ Rights Watch is a volunteer opportunity for individuals who want to support survivors by helping monitor how crime victims’ rights are upheld in the criminal legal system. Inspired by court watch programs across the country, this initiative mobilizes trained volunteers to observe proceedings at DC Superior Court and document potential rights violations or gaps in support for survivors.
Volunteers serve as the program’s “eyes and ears” in the courtroom by observing hearings and reporting what they see. The information collected helps Volare identify patterns and systemic issues affecting survivors and contributes to reports and advocacy efforts that aim to strengthen accountability and improve how courts treat crime victims.
Anyone can participate—you do not need to be an attorney. Volunteers typically commit a few hours each month observing misdemeanor or felony courtrooms and completing brief observation reports. Through this work, volunteers help amplify survivors’ voices and support broader efforts to ensure that survivors are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect in the justice system.
General Volunteer Opportunities
Volare also offers general volunteer opportunities for individuals who want to support survivors and advance access to justice, even if they do not have specialized legal or professional expertise. Community volunteers play an important role in helping strengthen Volare’s programs, outreach, and survivor-centered initiatives.
General volunteers may assist with a variety of projects, including
Event support
Outreach and awareness efforts
Administrative assistance
Research tasks
Other program needs
These opportunities allow individuals to volunteer with a nonprofit that supports survivors of crime and violence while contributing their time and energy to meaningful work. By volunteering with Volare, community members can help raise awareness about survivors’ rights, support advocacy efforts, and contribute to a network of people committed to improving justice and resources for survivors.