Ongoing, high-quality training is essential to ensure that service providers, both volunteer and employed, are well prepared to meet the complex needs of today’s crime victims. COVA offers many opportunities for professional victim advocates to stay current with trends and best practices in the field.
An established program in the state, COVA’s Basic Victim Assistance Academy provides 40 hours of intensive victim advocacy training to professionals with less than 2 years of experience working with crime victims or those who need a refresher. The updated curriculum features current best practices while emphasizing the importance of networking, collaboration, and self-care to enhance service provisions in the field. The curriculum embraces the entire scope of victim services while addressing unique and specific issues in Colorado. The knowledge and skills you gain will increase your level of confidence and you will be with peers who share your challenges. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Academy.
COVA’s long-standing Advanced Victim Assistance Academy takes your training to the next level. Designed for professionals with two or more years of direct victim services experience, this specialized training is for individuals working with crime victims in law enforcement, prosecutor’s offices, probation, corrections, and community-based agencies (e.g., a domestic violence or sex assault victim services nonprofit). This academy provides subject-specific, in-depth instruction on advanced topics such as burnout and compassion fatigue, wellness and resilience for advocates, advanced trauma-informed practices, leadership and supervision within advocacy roles, boundaries and ethical decision-making, complex victimization dynamics, and other emerging issues identified by the field. These sessions will go beyond introductory material to provide strategies, peer collaboration, and case-based learning that strengthen advocacy effectiveness and professional sustainability.
COVA offers webinars related to our programs and services and hosts partner agencies to provide information on topics that are relevant to current needs in the field.
Custom training is designed to address the specific needs of the field or your organization and can be tailored to a variety of victim service topics. These sessions are typically offered virtually, but in-person training at your location may be arranged upon request. If COVA is unable to meet your training request, we can provide a referral to one of our partner agencies to ensure your team receives the appropriate support and expertise.
COVA’s annual conference continues to lead as the largest victim services conferences in the country, and the only conference of its kind in Colorado. The COVA Conference provides 80+ workshops highlighting new trends, emerging issues, and best practices taught by subject matter experts from around Colorado and the United States. This multi-day training draws attendees from systems-based and community-based agencies (such as district attorney offices, law enforcement, non-profit victim advocacy organizations, and more) as well as allied professionals (such as behavioral health counselors, medical professionals, attorneys, and more), and crime victims and survivors
COVA is a trusted source for professional advocacy training, certifications and more. If you have questions about any of these professional training events and opportunities, contact us.
