About Us

Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworker

An Independent Stalking Advocate (ISAC) provides victims of stalking with specialist independent support, advice, and advocacy. The ISA provides victims with a single point of contact, assess the risk and needs of the victim alongside addressing any support needs. Victims are provided with all the options available to them and what their rights are throughout the Criminal Justice process.

It is very important that the victim is given practical options such as, information about personal safety where this is required. The ISAC will complete a victim safety plan, that explores different areas of their lives, enabling the victim to feel more empowered and confident in safeguarding themselves. The ISAC will also be able to liaise with other agencies on behalf of the victim, if this is something that is required.

Victim Care Officer

The Victim Care Officer (VCO) is responsible for supporting people that have experienced or been affected by crime to help them cope with the immediate impact of the crime and assist them in their subsequent recovery. To achieve this, they will help victims to identify their coping and recovery needs and subsequently develop a jointly owned recovery plan that is suitable to the victims’ personal situation affected by crime and anti-social behaviour. The service includes dedicated Victim Care Officers for Anti-Social Behaviour and Road Traffic Collisions.

They will provide this support for the victim whether the incident has been reported to the police or not. They will act as the single point of contact for victims from the initial engagement until the need for support from the Victim Care and Mentor Service has ended.

Criminal Justice Caseworker (CJC)

The Criminal Justice Caseworker (CJC) is there to support victims and witnesses throughout the Criminal Justice Process. Acting as a continuous point of contact to ensure victims and witnesses receive the practical help, emotional support, and information they may need that will allow them to cope and recover from the impact of their crime and to navigate through that court process.

The support can be face to face or via the telephone once your case has been charged and going through the court process. Support can include anything that helps the victim in what can be a daunting time, from information about the court process, help in preparing for hearings, trials, and sentencing, to safety planning, such as getting to and from court safely and accompanying victims and witnesses to court where appropriate. The CJC puts the wishes, needs and feelings of victims first ensuring victims and witnesses have a voice in the Criminal Justice System.

Crime Prevention Adviser

A Crime Prevention Adviser is there to provide advice on home and personal security.  This can range from discussing your concerns over the phone to arranging a home visit whereby the Crime Prevention Adviser will survey your home and the surrounding areas and provide advice on steps you could take to make your home secure.  This advice will always be tailored to your needs and be financially feasible to your specific situation.  The Crime Prevention Adviser can also provide home and personal security equipment as well as make referrals to other agencies if further needs are identified.

So, the advisers have a level 3 qualification in crime prevention. This enables us to conduct a full site survey of a residential property (the survey can also be used for non-residential premises) by using the 10 principles of crime prevention. By carrying out a crime prevention survey we can help to target harden properties, provide information regarding crime prevention products and provide a range of items, such as window alarms, door alarms etc.

Restorative Justice Practitioner

Restorative Justice Practitioners enable those that have been affected by crime (victims) and those responsible (offenders) to communicate safely. They provide the opportunity for those involved to explain or hear the impact the crime has caused.

They can support victims in getting the answers to questions that only the offender can answer, this can be done through face-to-face meetings, indirectly through the practitioner or by other communication methods such as a letter. The practitioners are trained to ensure that any such approach is fully risk assessed and is carried out in a safe way.

RASSO Navigator

The RASSO Navigator role provides dedicated support, guidance and advocacy to victims and survivors of rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO).

Working within a trauma-informed and victim-centred framework, the RASSO Navigator acts as an early point of contact for victims, helping them to understand their rights, make informed choices, and access appropriate services throughout their recovery journey. The role supports individuals regardless of whether they choose to engage with the criminal justice process and aims to reduce the impact of trauma by ensuring victims receive timely, coordinated and compassionate support.

RASSO Navigators are skilled in providing emotional and practical support to victims of rape and serious sexual offences. Facilitating access to specialist services, including counselling, Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs), health services, housing, substance misuse services and other community-based support.

Area Co-ordinator

The Area Coordinator is a vital role within the service, responsible for coordinating and developing a volunteer-led peer mentoring service that supports and empowers victims across County Durham and Darlington. The role ensures that people accessing support are matched with appropriately trained volunteer Community Peer Mentors who can provide practical guidance, encouragement and community-based support to help them achieve positive outcomes.

The Area Coordinator manages referrals, assesses risk and need, oversees volunteer deployment, and monitors progress to ensure support is safe, effective and tailored to individual circumstances. The role also plays a key part in recruiting, developing and retaining a diverse volunteer programme, ensuring mentors are equipped to provide high-quality support and represent the values of VCAMS.

This role includes our TEWV Area Coordinator, a role which focuses on support for those vulnerable to crime and anti-social behaviour who are impacted by both substance misuse and mental health.

Community Peer Mentor Volunteer

Volunteer Community Peer Mentors provide supportive, person-centred assistance to individuals across County Durham and Darlington who have been affected by crime, anti-social behaviour, or who may be vulnerable to future harm. Working as part of the County Durham and Darlington Victim Care and Mentor Service, mentors offer emotional support, practical guidance and a listening ear, helping people feel heard, informed and empowered within their communities.

Community Peer Mentors work alongside individuals to identify their needs and goals, build confidence and resilience, and encourage positive change. Through compassionate, non-judgemental support, they help reduce isolation and promote greater independence, whilst always operating under professional guidance and supervision from the service.