| Summary: | Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study was to explore the negative and positive psychological impacts on victim support volunteers who counsel survivors of crime as part of the Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP). A qualitative, multiple case study research design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Cape Town based participants who are volunteer counsellors of the VEP. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. While the majority of the sample had experienced negative symptoms at some stage in their volunteering history, these symptoms were generally of a transient nature. The themes relating to these negative consequences included: continued concern for or unwanted thoughts about past clients and cases; sleep disturbances; feelings of despondency in relation to the work; avoidant behaviours; difficulty regulating emotions; and reduced empathy and tolerance for certain types of crime survivors. All of the participants reported positive consequences of a long-term nature as a result of their support work, including: the witnessing of benefits to crime survivors; the volunteers' experience of the work as rewarding and fulfilling; and, personal growth and development. A final theme which defied simple categorisation as either positive or negative was the participants' increased awareness of safety and security needs due to their volunteer work. Factors raised by participants that were considered to have an impact on their negative and positive experiences were: training and education; organisational processes and support structures; partnerships with other organisations; and individual factors. Recommendations for future research are offered, as well as suggestions regarding ways to better protect volunteers from the possible negative psychological consequences associated with their support work, and to enhance their potential to experience positive impacts
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