Twenty-nine new VWCCS Court Support Officers (CSOs) have commenced in the Sydney, Parramatta and Newcastle Courts, taking the total number of VWCCS volunteers to just over 100. The new recruits commenced their training in May 2021. The training was discontinued during the COVID shut downs but recommenced in 2022.
VWCCS CSOs receive training in understanding the court environment as well as issues related to, for example, sexual assault and mental health. They subsequently undertake work experience under the supervision of experienced CSOs and then enter a mentoring phase of their training before becoming able to work independently with clients in the Courts.
The new CSOs are providing a boost to VWCCS’s services both in terms of the number of CSOs and the experience they bring to the role. They come from backgrounds as diverse as law, business, health, education and financial services.