40-HOUR DV ADVOCATE CERTIFICATE TRAINING

Become the first call.

California-required training for anyone who wants to volunteer, intern, or work at a domestic-violence shelter agency. Thirteen online modules built by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, plus two live Zoom sessions with Rainbow Services staff. Finish with the state-recognized certificate, the one that opens every door in the DV field.

Reserve a seat → See the curriculum →

40 hrs

 Total time 

 Online modules 

 Live Zoom sessions 

$150

 Tuition 

Two women sit together in golden light, one with an arm around the other

[ 01 / WHY THE 40 HOURS MATTER ]

California law requires that anyone providing direct service to DV survivors (paid or volunteer) complete 40 hours of specialized training before taking calls, running groups, or sitting with families. It is a legal minimum, not a ceiling. We treat it as the floor of good practice.

The curriculum is built by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and delivered by people who've been in the work for a decade or more. It's practical, honest about what's hard, and specific enough that on your first shift you'll know what to say when someone asks "what now?"

Finish this and you can step into direct-service volunteer roles here, at any California DV shelter, or into paid advocate positions statewide. Many cohort graduates stay on as Rainbow volunteers. Some become staff.

[ WHO IT'S FOR ]

✓ Future volunteers & interns at Rainbow
✓ MSW / MFT / psychology students earning field hours
✓ Career-changers moving into the DV or sexual-assault field
✓ Nurses, teachers, HR, and clergy who want to spot and respond well
✓ Anyone who's ever thought: 'I wish I'd known what to say.'

[ 02 / CURRICULUM · 13 MODULES + 2 LIVE SESSIONS ]

self-paced + live

01 History & dynamics of domestic violence The arc of the DV field, the cycle of abuse, and the social context survivors navigate. ~3 hrs

02 The power & control wheel: in practice How coercive control operates beyond physical violence. ~3 hrs

03 Safety planning & direct client services Building individualized plans, danger assessment, and warm referrals. ~3 hrs

04 Crisis intervention & trauma-informed response De-escalation, active listening, staying regulated under pressure. ~3 hrs

05 Supporting children & youth Child development, the impact of witnessing, showing up with children through play and presence. ~3 hrs

06 Teen dating violence & prevention Spotting patterns early. Building healthy-relationship literacy. ~3 hrs

07 Cultural responsiveness & intersectionality Race, class, gender identity, disability, immigration status. ~3 hrs

08 Working with LGBTQ+ survivors Myths, barriers, and affirming practice across all services. ~3 hrs

09 Working with immigrant survivors VAWA self-petition, U/T visas, and the "I can't call the police" reality. ~3 hrs

10 Legal issues & survivor protections Restraining orders, family law, confidentiality, mandated reporting. ~3 hrs

11 Sexual assault in intimate partnerships Consent, reporting choices, medical advocacy. ~3 hrs

12 Technology safety & digital abuse Spyware, location tracking, account hygiene, evidence preservation. ~3 hrs

13 Self-care, vicarious trauma, & ethics Sustainable practice. How not to burn out in the first six months. ~3 hrs

L1 Live Zoom: Rainbow Services orientation Meet the team. How Rainbow works on the ground: intake, confidentiality, the shelter rhythm. 2 hrs

L2 Live Zoom: integration & case practice Scenario work in small groups. Hotline-style role play. Q&A with a senior advocate. 2 hrs

Reserve a seat →

[ 03 / HOW IT WORKS ]

Complete the form below and pay the $150 tuition. Rolling admission, so there is no start date to wait for. Full and partial waivers are available, email the Volunteer Coordinator.

Enroll

Get your cohort login. Start the online modules any time, work at your own pace.

Show up live

Two Saturday Zoom sessions with Rainbow staff. Don't miss these. Small cohort, cameras on.

Certify

Pass the final assessment. Receive your certificate. You're eligible for direct-service roles statewide.

Two hands clasped across a table in a shaft of warm light

"By the end, you'll have language for what you've seen in your own family. That's the part no one warns you about. And it's the part that makes this training worth forty hours."

— Senior Advocate, Cohort lead

[ 04 / RESERVE A SEAT ]

Register and start anytime.

Admission is rolling, so there is no start date to wait for. Complete the form, pay the $150 tuition, and the Volunteer Coordinator will follow up with your cohort login and the dates of the two live Zoom sessions.

[ QUESTIONS ]

Email the Volunteer Coordinator

volunteer@rainbowservicesdv.org

Tuition is $150, paid securely below by card. Full and partial waivers are available, email the Volunteer Coordinator before paying if you need one.

[ TRAINING REGISTRATION ]

Register and pay tuition

40 hours total: self-paced online modules plus two live Saturday Zoom sessions.

Volunteer at Rainbow →

All direct-service roles at the shelter, hotline, and courts.

All the ways to help →

Donate, volunteer, partner: six options, one page.

About Rainbow Services →

Since 1983 serving Los Angeles County. Our mission, history, and accountability.