• Those who have been hired to work or intern at Steps

• Those who want to volunteer in direct service (i.e. on our hotline or in our building, working directly with service users)*

• Those who need or want to earn Vermont’s Victim and Crisis Worker Privilege

• Those who are interested in completing 20 hours of training on IPV and supporting survivors for professional development reasons

*If you are interested in volunteering in a non-direct service capacity (such as outreach or fundraising) or learning the skills to do anti-violence work in your own community, you might want to check out our 8-Hour CAT instead

During the training, we will explore different elements of power and control-based violence and will offer discussion and education on the intersections of domestic violence and other systems of oppression.

This training will include: 

• Domestic Violence 101 presentation 

• The empowerment model and how to use it when working with survivors  

• Presentations and discussions from Steps staff on our programs and services 

• Readings, videos, and conversation on intersectionality, systems of oppression, and the cultural context of domestic violence 

• An introduction to violence prevention 

• Self-care and boundaries for advocates workshop 

• Introduction to trauma and trauma informed practices 

CAT also fulfills the 20-hour training requirement for Vermont’s  Victim and Crisis Worker Privilege.

20-hour CAT is typically offered 4 times a year, in January, April, August, and October. This training is typically capped at 15 participants.

We alternate formats, so the summer and winter trainings are usually in person, while the fall and spring trainings are virtual.

In-person CAT consists of 15 hours of in-person meetings held over the course of 3 days, along with 5 hours of self-paced pre-work.

Virtual CAT consists of 12 hours of virtual meetings (2 hours per week for 6 weeks) and 8 total hours of independent reading to be completed in between each meeting (1-2 hours per week of reading).