(Posted 2024 August)
Meet Chris Royer, Hospital Accompaniment Support Advocate
Tell us a little about yourself. What is your professional background?
I’ve worked in international higher education for the past 15 years and am particularly passionate about facilitating intercultural and cross-cultural learning. I worked and lived in the U.K., Sweden, Egypt, New Zealand, and Hong Kong, and I moved back to Fairfax County in 2020. (I’m a Fairfax City native, born and raised!) I’m currently the director of operations for a university center that offers professional training on evaluation and assessment.
How long have you been volunteering? What led to your initial desire to volunteer and serve others?
I’ve been volunteering with Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (specifically with the Hospital Accompaniment Support Advocate program) for nine months but have been engaged in some form of volunteering since high school. I strongly believe volunteering is an essential part of civic engagement and a responsibility that we have to the community we’re a part of.
What interested you in volunteering with Fairfax County’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Services?
I’m one of two primary caregivers for my grandmother (who turned 95 at the beginning of June), so unfortunately, I had to put a pause on volunteering during the height of the COVID pandemic. When I felt the situation had normalized enough for me to start volunteering again, I did some research on available volunteer opportunities in the area and knew I specifically wanted to work with an organization that was focused on supporting and empowering women. A friend of mine (who works with victims of domestic abuse) recommended DSVS as an organization that was doing good work in the community and that had an excellent reputation with victims/survivors and providers.
I knew I wanted to find a volunteer opportunity related to a cause I cared deeply about and that allowed me to make an impact with the skills I have. I was specifically drawn to the HASA role due to my experience in higher education. I’ve spent my career in roles that required being on duty (i.e., being available to respond to a student emergency) and felt I was equipped to support victims/survivors in a role that included this component. My initial interactions with DSVS staff and volunteers (especially during my first in-person training) confirmed I had made the right choice; everyone was incredibly welcoming and affirming, and I felt like I would be able to make a positive impact through this role right from the start.
What is the most challenging part of volunteering? How did you overcome this challenge?
I was initially a little nervous about remembering, retaining, and relaying all the information we covered during training. But the role-playing we did in training made me feel 100% more confident responding to my first call. I’m still new enough that I find it helpful to spend some time reviewing my binder before each shift (and it’s also helpful to know that Kendal [Cristaudo] and other DSVS staff are just a text or call away if I need assistance during an accompaniment).
What’s the best part of volunteering? Share your most memorable experience.
Connecting and building relationships with other DSVS volunteers has been an amazing experience. There are so many incredible people dedicating their time and energy to this work, and it’s been such a pleasure to hear about them and their volunteer journeys and to learn from their life experiences.
What has been your favorite training? What did you like about it? What did you learn?
I’ve appreciated the way that all the DSVS trainings I’ve attended built on and echoed each other. There’s a lot to be aware of when supporting victims/survivors, so it has been helpful to me to have key concepts reinforced in different contexts--and to spend time diving deeper into something we touched on in previous training.
Prior to my experience volunteering with DSVS, I had very little experience (and no formal training) on domestic violence, so learning more about this and how to support victims of domestic violence has been incredibly helpful (and incredibly sobering). I also found the interview with Chanel Miller that we watched during my Tier One training to be very impactful. I read her victim impact statement and her memoir (Know My Name) after I completed my Tier One training and would highly recommend both. Finally, while not a traditional DSVS training, I have also appreciated the opportunity to learn from the FACT nurses. They’re so passionate and informed about the work that they do, and they're always happy to answer questions.
What are your three greatest strengths? How have you been able to display and use these strengths when serving others?
I love learning new things, and taking the time to become as knowledgeable as possible about DSVS and the services it offers allows me to connect victims with the resources they need. Also, empathy and attention to detail. Small gestures, like making sure someone has a glass of water at the right temperature and taking care of those basic physiological needs at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, are a critical part of supporting victims/survivors during an accompaniment.
What advice do you have for people who may be thinking about becoming a DSVS volunteer?
Do it! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community that supports others, and I look forward to continuing to serve in the future.
What do you wish you could do more of as a volunteer?
I’d love to be able to connect with and serve more victims/survivors, and I wish more folks were aware of the services provided through DSVS. I’m looking forward to continuing to explore additional opportunities to be involved with DSVS over the coming months.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I love to travel; my next big trip will be three weeks in France, the Faroe Islands (a bucket list destination for me!), and Denmark. I’m an avid reader, and I try to read at least 100 books a year. I studied art in college and still try to paint or draw every day. I’m also a dedicated bullet journaler and calligrapher and an amateur powerlifter; I will be competing in my second meet this year.
This article posting is part of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Services' Volunteer Voices monthly newsletter for current and potential volunteers. If you're not already a volunteer, learn how to get involved. Find out about upcoming trainings, volunteer trainings, happenings around the DSVS office and information about articles, books, media recommendations and more.
Learn more about the Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS).