CASA Volunteering

CASA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY: Court Appointed Special Advocate

Description: CASA volunteers are paired to mentor a youth in foster care and work to advocate for their best interests. As sworn officers of the court, CASA volunteers visit their youth on a regular basis, interact with professionals and others involved in the child's case, gather information, and make recommendations directly to the child's Judge.  CASA abides by the guiding principle that it is in the youth’s best interest to grow and develop in the care of their family of origin if that can be safely achieved. Volunteer advocacy is focused on permanency, health, education, and life skills. CASA volunteers serve youth under the care of both the dependency and delinquency court from birth through the age of 21 years.

Responsibilities: CASAs advocate for children's best interests through the following responsibilities, depending upon the needs of each individual case: 

  • Complete a 32-hour pre-service training program, including in-person and online components.

  • Maintain regular contact with youth (visit twice per month). Establish a relationship with youth through consistent communication to understand the youth's needs and desires.

  • Gather information about the youth’s circumstances, evaluate the facts independently, and provide recommendations to the court by means of written reports. 

  • Communicate sensitively and objectively with youth, social workers, foster care providers, therapists, teachers, attorneys, parents, or other family members who may be involved in the case. 

  • Attend Court hearings pertaining to the assigned case. Support youth throughout Court proceedings. 

  • Determine if a permanent plan has been created for the youth and whether appropriate services are provided to the youth and family.

  • Ensure that the court-approved plans for the youth are being implemented.

  • Maintain and submit monthly documentation of advocacy work, including a monthly check-in with CASA OC staff and timely entries detailing time spent on the case via an online database. 

  • Complete 12 hours of continuing education per year.

CASA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY: Family Finding Advocate

Description: Family Finding Volunteers play a crucial role in connecting children and youth in foster care with their families of origin or significant adults in their lives. Under the guidance of either the Family Finding Manager, or the Family Finding Specialist, their primary goal is to identify and establish positive connections that can contribute to the overall well being of the child.


Tasks:

  • Review case files and other records with a focus on identifying relatives and fictive kin for children

  • Research family connections using a variety of online tools including Google, social media, Ancestry

  • Contact relatives and fictive kin to build family engagement and support

  • Build and maintain a genogram (family tree) for the family using the information gathered

  • Liaise with the youth’s team to ensure best interest advocacy

  • Make recommendations to the court in a written report

CASA Family Finding volunteers serve youth under the care of both the dependency and delinquency court from birth through the age defined by state statute (up to 21 years of age). They may also work with any of these youth, after they have left dependency.

Email tdempster@casaoc.org for more information

CASA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY: FUNDRAISING EVENT VOLUNTEER

CASA has many different fundraising events that happen throughout the year including our CASA Celebration, Friends of CASA Holiday Luncheon and our CASA Classic Golf Tournament. The volunteer commitment for these opportunities is usually on one singular date and for a 3-5 hour shift. Example of volunteer tasks including assisting with check-in, providing explanations on different experiences and/or activations at an event, or helping to guide CASA supporters to event points.

CASA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY: FRIENDS OF CASA MEMBER

Friends of CASA (FOCASA) is an auxuiliary group that began in 1995 to support CASA’s mission. Friends of CASA hosts the annual FOCASA Holiday Luncheon fundraising event every December that helps to raise over $600k. The Luncheon Committee consists of Friends of CASA members who help in different aspects of the event including helping to procure event sponsors and auction items. FOCASA Members also have the opportunity to attend educational trainings and courthouse tours to learn more about the challenges facing our youth in foster care. Members also participate in community impact days and volunteer hands-on in the community alongside other Friends of CASA members.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the challenges to being a CASA volunteer?

Different people can be challenged by different aspects of being a CASA volunteer. We appreciate your thoughtful consideration about your capacity to commit to the role and ability to continue showing up for the youth you are matched with. For some folks it may be the time commitment of meeting with the child you are matched with twice a month. For others, the emotional aspect of the role can be challenging, as CASA volunteers read and hear about the physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse that their youth has experienced. Lastly, the involvement with the youth's dependency court hearings can seem intimidating. However, CASAs are supported by an Advocate Supervisor throughout their time as a volunteer, they attend court hearings with you, and act as a sounding board. All prospective CASA volunteers go through an information session, in-person interview, and 32 hours of training to learn about the full expectations of being a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

What does CASA stand for?

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates

How do you introduce yourself as a CASA volunteer?

CASA volunteers that are on outings with the youth(s) they are matched with are encouraged to introduce themselves a child’s friend when on outings. Some volunteers may refer to themselves as the child’s “mentor”. CASA volunteers are discouraged from introducing the child as a youth in foster care or a child they are matched with through the Court Appointed Special Advocate program.