Our second session of summer training will be taking place on July 11th and 18th from 10:00 AM – 4:00PM. You must attend both days.

Due to the large number of people who have already RSVPed, we will be closing off registration this FRIDAY, JUNE 19. If you are interested and have not yet registered, please do so ASAP by sending an email to suitcaseclass@gmail.com with your first name and last name under the subject “RSVP SUMMER TRAINING”.

We will be charging a class fee of at least $30. We will send out an email with the finalized amount as the date nears. 100% of this amount will be used to fund the clinic as well as print caseworking handbooks. You can bring cash or make checks payable to “Suitcase Clinic”. Please have your money on the first day.

Dear Applicants,

We are sorry to say that we have to close the June training to any new volunteers. There are simply too many people signed up.

We will take the first 50 or 60 people who RSVP’ed first. The people afterwards will be on the list for the July training. If you already RSVP’ed for July training you will be on that list. The reason is because we don’t have enough people helping out with the training as of now. But if more people come help out we will accept more. Everyone please be on the lookout in your Inbox from us. You can still RSVP, but we may push you to July.

There are some people who already RSVP’ed and would like to switch to July. If that’s the case the next person will be bumped up. We will take care all of the logistics and let all of you know.

If you didn’t RSVP you will not be able to do the training this June. Look for updates on June 23rd about July training.

Lastly, June trainees you must bring your $30 fee on the first day June 13th. Please bring exact cash or write a check to Suitcase Clinic. YOU WILL GET AN EMAIL to inform you if you are or are not in the June training.

ALSO THERE IS THE TRAINING IS IN A NEW ROOM! IT IS NOW 213 WHEELER HALL SAT 10am – 4pm !!!! Not 160 Dwinelle.

Dear Applicants,

Many of you have been asking the same questions so here are some of the responses. If you send me emails with questions that are posted here I will not reply to those emails.

If I can’t make either day of the June training how can I make it up?

-You can’t make up either day. You must attend both days or wait for the July training tentatively set on July 11 and 18. If there is no July training, you have other opportunities to apply in the Fall and Spring semesters. Those dates will be announced during the 1st week of the semester.

Can I volunteer without training and come on a drop in basis?

-NO, you absolutely cannot come to clinic without proper training for many reasons such as safety issues.

Is summer training equivalent to the semester course in terms of being able to volunteer?

-Yes, summer training will cover the same training you need for clinic. The semester course however covers much more material in depth related to homelessness.

How long can I volunteer after the training?

-You can volunteer whenever and however long you want. There is no time-limit or expiration to your training.

What kind of training does the Suitcase Clinic give?

-Many of you might think that the Suitcase Clinic does clinical work, but that is really not the case. The Suitcase Clinic does mostly caseworking, this is where each volunteer works as an advocate for our clients, whether that is during clinic or outside of clinic. If you are looking for clinical work then this is probably not the best fit, but we do have work that relates to that since we have medical services as well as partnering with other groups in Berkeley. The training you will receive is about a variety of topics related to homelessness, how our clinic runs, what our services are, safety training, social benefit programs, supportive housing, and much more. You can do much more than just volunteer at our clinic if you decide to come. We are a group of students who engage in more than just providing acute health services for the homeless and low income families. We strive to provide preventative care and overall mental health. Thus, you can engage in and create your own projects. If you are interested in this aspect I would suggest taking the course during the semester.

Can I waive the fee? What if I don’t have the money the first day?

-No the fee is mandatory. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR MONEY THE FIRST DAY OF TRAINING. You can pay in cash or write a check to the SUITCASE CLINIC. If you do not have your money you cannot take the training. 100% of the fee will help fund the clinic as well as your caseworker manuals.

Will I have a spot for sure if I RSVP?

-We will accept as many as we can for summer training. So far there’s 30 people and we have 50 spots allotted so far.

What are the requirements?

-We haven’t decided all the requirements yet. You will find out during the day of the training