Organizational Culture

Virginia Victim Assistance Network advocates for the needs of crime victims by providing support and a voice to any victim of any crime. The organization has about five programs available, but their two main ones include the Victim Assist Helpline and the Homicide Survivor Support Groups. VVAN employees are made up of all women, which is a different work environment that what I am used to. It is a very welcoming environment where everyone is willing to help everyone. VVAN’s grant got cut by 80% at the beginning of the summer, so this ideal of collaboration and support has been extremely important. I have always thought of myself as an independent person who likes to do tasks alone. However, the dynamic of VVAN has helped me to improve upon this. They encourage me to ask questions and are happy to teach me any topic that I am unsure of. Because of this grant cut, it has been all hands-on deck to be more attentive to the Victim Assist Helpline and the Homicide Support Groups. I have been shadowing and training to eventually take over the helpline and ultimately lighten the load of the other employees. Although this grant cut has made the organization a little unorganized and uncertain, it has taught me to be more flexible and I get to learn more about the topics because of it. I think that it has also allowed the organization to better prioritize certain issues and programs and to understand which issues require more attention. One of these issues was the lack of efficiency in the helpline. I have been able to research new technologies on how to better our system and we have just transferred over our phones to a new program that will help us get in touch with victims. Lastly, I believe that VVAN’s welcoming and supporting environment benefits the organization in terms of completing tasks in the best way possible. All the employees are friends outside the organization and are constantly encouraging one another to get their jobs done in an effective manner. VVAN expects everyone to do the best that they can but does not punish anyone for not knowing what to do next. Employees collaborate to form new ideas and are always basing their decisions for the benefit of victims.