How You Can Help

If you can teach, research, contribute services or underwrite a portion of the Academy, we need you! 
Every year the textbook needs experts to review, revise and update its chapters and to teach at the Academy. The Advisory Committee is looking ahead to develop an Advanced Victim Service Institute to meet pressing needs of mature managers and their agencies.  Proposed Institutes could take in-depth examinations of an at-risk population such as adolescent/minors; build knowledge and skills for managing victim service agencies and providers; or enhance practices through applied research in the field such as emerging work in resiliency and trauma.

In addition to funding from the USDOJ, NYSDCJS, and NYSCVB, the Academy has received support from private foundations and businesses including: Anderson Rogers Foundation, the New York State Retail Council, Hannaford’s, and individual donors who provided additional financial support for this project.  In addition, dozens of volunteers contributed their time and expertise to reviewing, writing and revising the textbook and resource manual. 

We hope you will join us to make this a permanent resource for Victim Service Education to improve outcomes for innocent victims of crimes in New York State.

The Results of your Support

According to NYS Victim Assistance Academy evaluations, students ranked high satisfaction with instructors and course content. Virtually all courses and instructors scored above a four out of a five point scale. Six months after the first NYSVAA, participants were surveyed to determine its longer term impacts.

• Almost 80% stated that the Academy improved the services they provide to victims.
• Three out of every four of the respondents agreed that the Academy helped to maintain or improve their attitude toward work with victims.
• Forty percent believed practices at their workplace had improved as a result of attending the Academy.
• Over half continued to use the Textbook and Resource Manual after the Academy, to research resources, to train other staff and to clarify understanding of an issue.
• Four out of five have shared materials with colleagues.

Preliminary analysis of evaluation data from the 2005 academy shows indicates a very significant growth in students’ knowledge. Prior to the academy, students were asked to rank their level of knowledge on a series of topics using a scale of one (being novice) to five (being expert). Students ranked their knowledge level as below average in nine out of the top ten topics (mean of 2.34) and their level of knowledge as well above average after the academy (mean of 3.80). Students used words such as “thrilled,” “stimulated,” “empowered,” “amazed,” and “fortunate” to describe their experiences.