The NRCDV Training Institute ensures that all training efforts and educational resources are relevant, forward thinking and innovative, and center the voices and lived experiences of survivors in our work.

We accomplish this by providing high-quality and accessible training opportunities designed to increase individual and organizational capacity of our constituents as well as our own organization’s capacity.

NRCDV’s Training Institute provides development opportunities that enhance knowledge, develop skills and enrich participants. We model, promote and foster an organizational culture that values development and growth opportunities for all.

NRCDV Upcoming Trainings & Events

When the Work Hurts: Managing the Impacts of Moral Injury and Career Sustainability in Mission-Driven Work, featuring Dr. Johnanna Ganz

March 27, 2025 | 2:00pm EST | REGISTER HERE

Have you ever had to carry out an action that felt fundamentally wrong in your work? Have you had to make a hard decision that went against your core values or beliefs? Have you witnessed deep harm happen that made you feel guilt or shame, and yet you were powerless to respond? You have likely experienced a moral injury at work. In this webinar, we will take a deep dive into the key concepts of moral distress and moral injury, with a focus on what it is and how it can show up in mission-driven environments. Then, we will look at how moral distress and injury impact career sustainability and discuss strategies on how to navigate the hard, the ugly, and the painful as well as naming your personal signs that it is time to leave the work. Come ready to learn, to discuss, and to find new ways of managing when the work hurts or knowing when to leave.

2025 Policy and Research Briefing

April 10, 2025 | 2:00pm EST | REGISTER HERE

Join NRCDV and the Safe Housing Capacity Building Center for our annual Policy and Research Briefing on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00pm ET.

We will highlight emerging findings from NRCDV's ongoing Black immigrant and refugee housing research project. This project explores the scope of homelessness and housing insecurity among Black immigrant and refugee survivors of domestic and sexual violence and documents the experiences of advocates and direct service providers working with this population.

Social Security: An Overview for Advocates Supporting Survivors in Accessing Benefits

April 17, 2025 | 2:00pm EST | REGISTER HERE

Navigating Social Security (SS) benefits can feel overwhelming, especially for survivors dealing with multiple pressures and challenges. A better understanding of SS eligibility and options is essential for both survivors and advocates. Please join us on April 17 at 2:00pm EST for an informative webinar featuring Trisha Mentzer, a Social Insurance Specialist at the Social Security Administration (SSA), as she explains these benefits. Trisha will break down key programs such as disability, spousal, survivor, retirement, and online services. Advocates will learn about eligibility requirements, the application process, and how these programs can support individuals and families throughout different life stages. Whether survivors are approaching retirement, navigating changes, mid-career, or just starting a career, this session will provide advocates with the vital information they need to help survivors more confidently navigate and make decisions about their Social Security benefits.

Navigating the Media Spotlight, presented by the National Center for Victims of Crime and the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence 

May 15, 2025 | 2:00pm EST | REGISTER HERE

For better or worse, media coverage of crime is here to stay. Crime survivors and victim advocates know the media glare can be unwelcome and intrusive. There are also times it can be useful, such as renewing investigators’ attention on unsolved crimes or raising awareness of victims’ issues and resources for survivors. The National Center for Victims of Crime has published a guide to help victims and advocates navigate media coverage. Learn how to use this guide and get tips about how to protect survivors, including those of domestic violence, from unwanted attention, how to leverage coverage for positive results, and more. Join this panel of advocates who helped create the guide for an informative discussion. 

SAVE THE DATE: 2025 NRCDV's FREE Storytelling Institute 

August 13-14, 2025 | 12:00pm EST | REGISTRATION COMING SOON

Can you remember a time when you were impacted by the power of a captivating story? Facts and numbers are easily dismissible and often disregarded, but compelling stories evoke emotions and propel listeners or readers to act! Stories honor diverse cultures, identities and lived experiences. They bring us back to the foundation of the domestic violence movement. The roots. The voices of survivors.
 
The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence's Storytelling Institute is a free live two-day, virtual training set to take place on August 13 and August 14, 12:00pm – 4:00pm (ET). This will be an amazing opportunity for individuals who seek to move their target audiences from facts and numbers to taking action, utilizing storytelling as a tool for social transformation. This interactive training will provide participants with a digital companion guide, along with strategies and frameworks to identify storytelling goals, build a story bank, develop storytellers within your organization and nurture a sustainable culture of powerful storytelling.
 
The Institute will be led by Mothyna James-Brightful. Affectionately known as Sister Mothyna, during her 16-year professional speaking career she has logged over 40,000 hours on stage. She has been described as “energetic, passionate and inspirational” by audiences. With four publications under her belt, she is the author of the Amazon Bestseller Engage Inspire Prevent: Strategies for Educating Teens on Sexual Violence.
 
By the end of this training, you will learn how to: 

  • Identify how to find stories to tell and build a story bank 
  • Build rapport and make emotional connections through effective storytelling 
  • Identify and develop internal storytellers in your organization to maximize their role as change agents 
  • Apply industry best practices and vetted frameworks to craft compelling stories 
  • Nurture a sustainable culture of powerful storytelling in your organization

Past webinar recordings and podcasts are available on our YouTube page.

And be sure to check out the VAWnet Event Calendar for more training opportunities from organizations across the domestic violence field!