Milwaukee Women's Center at Community Advocates
Address: Children’s Volunteer and Crisis Line: 3025 W. Mitchell Ave
Bottomless Closet: 728 N. James Lovell Street
Transportation: Take #10 from 16th St. and Wisconsin Ave. West to 27th St. and Wisconsin Ave. Transfer at 27th to bus #27 going South to Layton and Mitchell St. Walk 3.5 blocks West to the Milwaukee Women's Center.
Approximate Travel Time by Bus: 26 minutes.
Approximate Travel Time by Car: 7 minutes.
Orientation: Crisis Line and Children’s Volunteer: January 30th at 4:00pm
Bottomless Closet: January 31st at 3:30pm
Days/Hours of Operation: Childcare is provided Monday-Friday evenings 2:00pm-5:00pm with shifts to be arranged each semester, according to shelter need. The crisis line operates 24 hours a day, every day.
- Child Care: Monday-Wednesday, 5:00pm-8:00pm
- Crisis Line: Monday-Friday, 12:00pm-4:00pm or 4:00pm-8:00pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am-2:00pm or 3:00pm-7:00pm
Description of Agency: Milwaukee Women's Center is a shelter for battered women and their children. The agency provides shelter for women who are in eminent danger and need a temporary sanctuary from their abusive partners. The Milwaukee Women’s Center provides holistic care to empower women and families who are experiencing abuse to live safe, independent and healthy lives. Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the mothers have mandatory groups, and childcare is provided during that time. In addition to games and activities, the childcare director provides programs for the children on issues of domestic violence and abuse. The hotline is available to women who are calling about domestic violence. There are a various types of calls received ranging from information to crisis calls.
Student Role at Agency:
- Child Care: Service learners would be involved in all aspects of the children's programming which includes playing games with the children, talking with them, helping in the snack period, general homework assistance and occasionally going on supervised outings. Males are encouraged to apply. Service learners will serve as a role model for children and will help children build self esteem through play and activities.
- Crisis Line: Service learners can take crisis calls, provide information and make referrals for counseling, legal aid, medical care, etc. Students may also occasionally be asked to help out with household chores. Service learners would be asked to give encouragement and support and to empower capable, competent women who are making decisions only they have a right to make. Service learners should be responsible and reliable, have a serious commitment to the agency, and be a caring, non-judgmental listener.
- Bottomless Closet Program: FEMALE SERVICE LEARNERS ONLY! Students will support staff in successfully dressing men and women for job interviews. Students involved in this aspect of the program will be responsible for tagging, sorting and displaying clothing items in the store. Students will also be responsible for interacting with the clients and assisting them with choosing appropriate clothing.
Unique Features or Challenges of Crisis Line: The hotline can be very intense. People call with various problems, and some women need shelter in order to get away from physically dangerous situations where their lives might be in danger. There is a lot of pressure but also a lot of support and it is very rewarding. The address of this agency is strictly confidential, but all necessary information will be given to Service Learners before the first service time. Some short interactions with shelter clients may also be necessary. Men are encouraged to apply.
Commitment:
- Child Care: A group orientation is required for information on procedure, activities confidentiality and understanding on how children are affected by domestic violence. Minimum of one 3 hour shift per week for 6 months or the full semester.
- If you have not already completed Marquette's Working With Minors training, you must do so. More information will be available at Sign-Up Night.
- Crisis Line: Minimum of one 4-hour shift per week for6 months or the full semester. Also requires (approximately) 5 weeks of training--4 hours per week-- at the agency depending on the student's individual comfort level, which will be assessed after two weeks. The first two weeks will be training including reviewing policy and procedures, becoming familiar with types of calls, and listening in on calls.
THIS PLACEMENT REQUIRES A FIRM AND CONSISTENT COMMITMENT.
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