Not everyone is a fan of TikTok but there are times when some good girl gossip and a new TikTok trend is a great way to connect with a teenager. CASA volunteer Sarah Heo was only 23 when she completed her CASA training and was matched with her first youth *Lorena who was 13 at the time. According to Sarah, her age was an asset in bonding with Lorena since they shared some of the same interests and could connect on that level. “When I first met Lorena, she had been placed at Orangewood Children and Family Center after removal from her family. She was very shy and anxious and I was a new stranger in her life, so we just started talking about TikTok and a trend that was very popular at that time.”

Sarah graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 2020. After graduating, she returned to Orange County and settled into a demanding job but was seeking something that counter-balanced her professional work which was very analytical. She signed up for the CASA training which she said was “super manageable” since you can do most of it on Zoom.

When asked about balancing a demanding career with volunteering as a CASA, Sarah quickly responds, “Once you get going, it becomes part of your routine. She laughs and adds, “When I talk about CASA, people I work with often say, ‘Oh that’s so cool but I’m so busy.’ We work 40-50 hours a week but there’s so much more time in a week. The CASA commitment is like 8-10 hours a month which isn’t even 1 ½ work days!”

Sarah would like to see more people her age volunteer with CASA, especially with teens. “I think it’s often helpful to be close in age, especially with a teenager. It provides them with someone they can relate to but maybe not see as such an authority figure.” She adds, “They already have a social worker, the foster parent and other parental figures in their life, so someone closer in age allows a connection that may start out on something superficial like a TikTok trend or school gossip, but it creates groundwork for deeper conversations as trust is developed.” 

Lorena was very shy, especially about speaking in public, when the two first met. Even ordering food in a restaurant was difficult for her. Sarah and Lorena would rehearse before she would speak to a server at a restaurant. Lorena would often speak with her hand over her mouth which made it more difficult for her to be heard which then compounded her discomfort. Sarah soon learned that Lorena was self-conscious about her crooked teeth and began advocating for braces for Lorena. According to her social worker, requests for funding are generally only approved for medical purposes like a speech impediment or ability to properly chew, but Sarah pushed forward using a mental health appeal and got the funding request approved through the court. “This was a big one for us, she’s gaining confidence knowing she’ll have braces. She’s now very much able to express herself which is huge.”

The two have compiled a list of all of the food types they want to try. Together they’ve shared multiple cuisines and Sarah recently tried Mexican Elote (corn on the cob) for the first time. According to Sarah, they often enjoy getting a meal and sitting in a park to people-watch. Sarah refers to this as a “shoulder-to-shoulder” activity which is helpful when Lorena is having a bad day and may not want to feel pressured to talk for a couple of hours. On better days, they share “face-to-face” activities with more conversation and active engagement. On days when Lorena doesn’t feel much like connecting in-person, the two might have a “virtual date” where Sarah will DoorDash her food and they’ll watch a Netflix movie at the same time or just catch up on gossip.

Sarah shares that a lot of what she learned in her CASA training is to step back. “You’re not there to solve all their problems, you’re there to be a good listener. 80% of it is just hanging out with your youth and listening to all their friend drama and maybe just putting in a word here and there.”

Her Advocate Supervisor, Anita Smith has high praise for the work Sarah does. “Sarah has developed a fun and trusting relationship with Lorena, encouraging her to have more confidence in herself and gently guiding her in all areas of her life. Sarah is very observant and has keen insights into what her youth needs which has led her to advocate for therapy, wrap-around services, tutoring, and orthodontic braces. Sarah's continued support has made a notable difference in Lorena's well-being which I am certain will have a long-lasting impact.”

Sarah says CASA has inspired her to pursue future avenues where she can combine her professional analytical skills with her personal passion for policy and community service. “CASA has helped me realize that I do not have to separate work from the rest of my life.”

She encourages other young professionals to consider becoming a CASA. “Now that I know this work exists, I can’t not do it. Volunteering with CASA gives me a tangible feeling of doing something that has purpose. For me, volunteering is a form of rest, it takes me away from what I do every day for work. And it doesn’t take as much time as you’d expect.”

To learn more about becoming a CASA, sign-up to attend one of our upcoming Information Sessions or email CASA’s Volunteer Recruitment and DEIB Manager, Norma Mendoza. 

*Names changed to protect privacy