Media release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

New Victim Support Service Coordinator Impressed By Dedication Of Volunteers

Six months into her role, Upper Hutt’s new Victim Support Service Coordinator is still excited about assisting people in the community she lives in.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 24 APR 2013—Melissa Gordon was appointed as Upper Hutt’s Victim Support Service Coordinator late last year, after more than a year in the Lower Hutt office.

Melissa has great admiration for the volunteers who attend scenes of serious crime and other trauma. Once recruits from the March intake are trained, there will be nine Victim Support volunteers in Upper Hutt.

“It’s a humbling experience working with our selfless group of volunteers. These are everyday Kiwis doing extraordinary things. Two of them have been serving for over twenty years. It really doesn't feel like work when you are alongside people like this!” says Melissa.

“Our volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We attend anything from a burglary or neighbourhood disputes to serious assaults, homicides and fatal motor vehicle accidents, usually alongside the Police. We aim to be there within 45 minutes,” says Melissa.

“My first priority is to make sure victims receive a high quality service. We are passionate about people affected by crime and trauma – we help them to restore control in their lives. We do this by attending the scene and assisting with the immediate aftermath, then right through to the judicial process, and advocating on their behalf.”

“I am passionate about looking after our precious volunteers,” says Melissa. “I keep an open relationship with each of them to ensure they are OK. We make sure they are safe if they are out attending a job and debrief with them after each event.”

Melissa’s work with volunteers starts with recruiting the right people. “We have a robust recruitment procedure followed by three days of intense training. There are only two training sessions per year, the next one for the Wellington district being in October.”

“After initial training, volunteers have monthly meetings to keep up to date with issues like amendments to the legislation governing victims’ rights, court processes and developments in grief and trauma management. Recently we held training at Orongomai Marae for the first time, which was a fantastic experience,” says Melissa.

An independent charitable trust, Victim Support has offices in 65 locations throughout New Zealand. There are over 1000 volunteers nationwide and 140 paid staff. Upper Hutt Victim Support is part of the Wellington District which has six offices in the Lower North Island.

Victim Support’s Service Coordinators are based in Police Stations, but they operate independently.

“We receive the majority of our referrals through Police but are not limited to this,” says Melissa. “People can call the 0800 line themselves and other agencies sometimes call us on someone's behalf.” Victim Support’s freephone is 0800 VICTIM (0800 843 846).

Melissa is also working on building relationships with other organisations to inform them of what Victim Support is all about.

“A huge focus for me this year is raising our profile. We provide presentations for clubs and organisations like Probus and 60's Up,” says Melissa. “We are happy to talk to anyone that wants to know what we are about. And I am at the Upper Hutt Library twice a month in the "Hot Seat" to answer questions and assist people.”

Upper Hutt City Council’s Director of Community Services, Andrea Curtis, says Victim Support is an integral part of the city’s Safe Hutt Valley initiative and Melissa’s perspective is crucial.

“No matter how safe our community becomes, there will always be a need for Victim Support. Melissa’s recent appointment ensures our excellent local service continues,” says Andrea. “Victim Support’s mix of practical and emotional help is crucial as people struggle to regain control of their lives. Victim Support makes sure people know how to access the services they need and have their rights upheld.”

Victim Support currently gets 80% of its funding from Government and relies on fundraising for the other 20%. People can donate by calling 0900VICTIM (0900 84 28 46) or visiting the website, www.victimsupport.org.nz .

Melissa Gordon has been with Victim Support for two years. Previously she was a fleet manager in the courier industry. Melissa lives in Upper Hutt with her fiancé and three-year old daughter.

About Upper Hutt City Council

Upper Hutt City Council is the steward and custodian of Upper Hutt City, providing governance, infrastructure, and community services and resources, and promoting opportunity in the city for business, recreation, lifestyle, and leisure. Upper Hutt City is located 30 km north-east of Wellington City (41°07'34" S, 175°04'06" E) and boasts 70% of the region’s parks and reserves, along with state-of-the-art entertainment and leisure facilities.

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