WHO WE ARE
Who are
the Seniors Vs Crime Project volunteers? We refer to a senior citizen who has
volunteered to assist other seniors as a Senior Sleuth. Senior Sleuths are represented by seniors
who come from all walks of life, ranging from homemakers to rocket scientists.
The single common denominator is the desire to help others. Former or current
occupation is irrelevant - as is physical condition. A Sleuth may be
athletic or bedridden. The SVC Project welcomes applications from all seniors
with an interest in protecting fellow citizens and making Florida a safer place
for all. The Seniors vs. Crime Project has a place for everyone who would like
to participate. Each year volunteers contribute more than 35,000
man-hours assisting those in need of our services. Qualifications/Requirements. Seniors who volunteer with the SVC Project have four basic requirements -1) they should be age 50 or older, however younger volunteers may be accepted, 2) they must have a genuine desire to help others, 3) they must have no criminal history, and 4) they MUST agree to hold the personal information of clients and fellow Sleuths information strictly confidential. Senior Sleuth Positions Senior
Sleuths may volunteer for a number of different positions within the
organization. "Eyes
and Ears" Sleuth-This is a Senior Sleuth who does not wish to be active on
a weekly basis but is willing to assist by being the Eyes and Ears of the
Attorney General's Office. Examples would be reporting potential scams, high pressure sales tactics or other unfair business
practices that may come to your attention or assist the Attorney General when
requested by possibly counting pills purchased (order 30- get 29), reporting on
other selected purchases, etc. These types of requests are infrequent but do
occur. Office Sleuth- This is a Senior Sleuth
who has volunteered to physically work in their local Seniors vs. Crime office
and handle complaints from the public. These Sleuths have direct or phone
contact with complainants and those complained against. All contacts are made
at or from the SVC office. No Senior Sleuth is required nor allowed to conduct
any investigation outside the office confines. These Senior Sleuths may be
required to perform minimal clerical work in documenting calls, filing case
files, etc. Speakers Bureau- Senior Sleuths who are
skilled at or comfortable with public speaking may decide that they would like
to do presentations rather than deal with the actual complaints. These Sleuths
will be educated in various presentations that are offered by the Project such
as generic Seniors vs. Crime-Who we are, what we do; Scams and Cons; Identity Theft, etc. Most
speaking engagements are limited to approximately 20-30 minutes and offer the
Project to become well known in their area of responsibility. FSAIF- Florida Seniors Against
Investment Fraud is a separate presentation that is offered statewide. Seniors
vs. Crime, in partnership with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
presents a program on how to avoid investment fraud to senior groups who
request this presentation. Prior interest /experience in financial markets,
while beneficial, is not necessary for presenters. Any Sleuth can be trained in
performing this presentation. Office Assistant-This Senior Sleuth may
be competent in computer operations but does not want to deal with actual
complaints. This Sleuth may do data entry, internet searches, scan and email
documents or help manage other clerical/office duties. Work
Hours. The
Seniors Vs Crime Project does not have a minimal work hours requirement. Each
Senior Sleuth determines her/his level of participation. Senior Sleuths that
volunteer at their local Project Office may work only 2-4 hours on one day per
week. The number of days per month and hours that are worked is totally up to
the volunteer. You are a VOLUNTEER- we will not dictate your work schedule. Senior Sleuths get to help people in need, get to know fellow volunteers and make many new friends! Volunteering with the Seniors Vs Crime Project provides an opportunity for seniors to meet others who are interested in preventing the victimization of our citizens. Volunteers will meet and work other seniors who have similar interest while learning about scams and/or criminal techniques that are targeting their local communities. |
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