If a juvenile and domestic court judge needs a set of eyes and ears outside the courtroom, he or she turns to a Court Appointed Special Advocate.
CASA volunteers have the honor and responsibility of representing children in the judicial system, one that requires hours of dedication to serving area children.
Colonial CASA – the local organization for managing CASAs, starting in 1995 – is currently accepting applications for interested volunteers. Materials are due by Dec. 12 for the next round of training in January.
After a lengthy application, background checks, an intense six weeks of online courses and hands-on practice, CASAs are tasked with following the details of an assigned case. They attend every hearing, and in the periods between have the latitude to interview the child involved, school community, pediatrician and other figures who might be relevant to the child’s wellbeing.
“We want to ensure that the child is safe, that they have certain needs that are being met,” said Sarah Serra, program director for Colonial CASA.
Volunteers compile the content of their interviews and observations into a report for the judge. While they have an assessment portion at the end for making a recommendation, the rest of the CASAs’ reports are purely factual, without any personal opinion, to allow judges to come to their own conclusions.
With its duties and rewards, Serra said she does not know of any other volunteer opportunity quite like CASA.
CASAs spend on average 10 hours per month working on one or two cases, and must commit to an 18-month stint with the program. There are currently 32 CASAs locally, many of whom have been involved for years.
“Really on average, our volunteers leave if they have a medical issue or move out of the area,” said Victoria Canady, CASA’s volunteer services coordinator. “That should be our new slogan: CASAs for life.”
Their longevity with the organization, Serra believes, comes from a passion for their work and its benefit to the community.
“The common thread that runs through all of them is that they deeply care for children and they want to ensure that these children are safe,” she said of the volunteers.
Read a volunteer spotlight on Larry Henry, who found CASA as a way to push his boundaries and make tangible difference during his retirement, here.
Click here for an online application form. To learn more, visit the Colonial CASA website or call 229-3306.
