Dear CASA Community,
July has arrived, and summer is in full swing at CASA OC. The summer months bring some of my favorite touchpoints with our youth and CASAs. Since arriving at CASA OC two years ago, I have been repeatedly impressed with the unique offerings the program has to offer our advocates and youth. I will share details of some of these wonderful efforts below, including our annual CASA conference, our youth and advocate feedback surveys, and our annual summer picnic for CASA youth.
We kicked off summer last month with our annual CASA conference. CASA OC is the only CASA program in California to offer this type of event, and it is a fabulous day for CASA volunteers and staff to connect with one another and participate in training. Our conference theme this year was Building Connections, which highlighted the importance of youth having a supportive network of relationships during their time in dependency. Our keynote speaker, author David Ambroz, is an expert on national poverty and child welfare, an advocate, a foster dad, and Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon. David shared excerpts from his memoir A Place Called Home, as well as insights on the foster care system and how we can best advocate for the youth we serve. Our other guest speaker, Angie Schwartz, JD, is the Deputy Director of the Children and Family Services Division for the California Department of Social Services. Angie offered training on child welfare reform and the importance of maintaining and strengthening a youth’s connection to their family to improve outcomes throughout their lives. Over 200 advocates joined us, and it was a rich time of encouragement, connection, and learning.
Two other annual efforts underway circle around our efforts to gather as much feedback as possible from both our advocates and our youth. Feedback from our annual youth survey is important in assessing the efficacy of our work and the role that the advocates play in the youth’s life. The survey goes to over 500 youth, and we hope to hit a 50% response rate. So far, we have heard from 170 youths about how much they love their CASA advocates!
97% indicated that their CASA speaks up for them when they need it. One 11-year-old girl described her CASA as “kind, loyal and awesome.” When asked what they like most about having a CASA, here are some of the responses we received;
“Having someone to hang out with since I feel lonely.”
“I’m the luckiest to have my CASA! Anyone would be lucky to have my CASA.”
“She is like a sister to me and my best friend. I love her with all of my heart. She is the best CASA ever. She will stay in my life forever.”
“Spending time with them, and you can trust them with anything.”
“He gives me hints in life.”
“She does not give up on me.”
“That I get to say what I have inside.”
“She talks a lot, so there is no silence between us very often.”
“My CASA takes me places I don’t usually go to, like Chick-fil-a and the Zoo! My CASA is very important and she is always happy to see me just like I am.”
“He's kind and he's like a best friend.”
“What I like most about having a CASA is that I can always trust her with anything I need or want. She’s like another family member if you ever need anything. She is always there for me and I feel like I can get out of the house and be myself when I am with her.”
We hope you are just as encouraged as we are to hear the wonderful impact our CASA volunteer advocates are having on their youth!
Alongside our youth survey, we also conduct an annual survey of our volunteer advocates. Our volunteers are our most precious resource, and we are incredibly grateful for the selfless way they give to our community. Our annual survey is a way for us to acknowledge their work and listen to their needs and feedback! So far, 94% said they believe they are making a positive impact on their youth’s life. 98% shared they were satisfied or very satisfied with their CASA experience. We are so grateful for our community of volunteers and are so fortunate for how they advocate for their youth!
The best of the summer is yet to come, as we are approaching our annual Back to School Picnic. This is a day that is provided for youth and advocates to enjoy games, activities, food, and prizes and to connect with each other. Each youth will be provided a backpack filled with school supplies and a $25 Target gift card. One of my favorite parts of the picnic is that, for many youths, it is like a mini-reunion. Many have been in care for multiple years and have made connections with one another in school and home placements. Since placements can change quickly, youth often move in and out of each other’s lives without a lot of opportunity to see one another again. At our picnic, they get the chance to see old friends and catch up with their peers. It is also a wonderful opportunity for separated siblings to get a full day together. Many of our youth have shared with their advocates that the CASA picnic is unmissable!
As you can tell, summertime at CASA is a bright time of connection, celebration, and support. It is a season filled with opportunities to get to know our youth better, commemorate our volunteers' generous efforts, and seek to make the biggest impact we can on the lives of foster youth in our community.
Bonnie Kash
Associate Director of Advocacy