Become a CASA Advocate

Make a difference in the New Year!

The next training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate starts soon.  With just a few hours a week you can make a difference for a child in foster care.

For many children in foster care, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives.

For many volunteers, CASA is a life-changing experience that makes a difference in our community.

CASA volunteer Advocates are everyday people, trained by CASA and then appointed by judges to advocate for the safety of children who have been removed from their homes because they have been abused or neglected.

Forty nine percent of the children served by CASA of Santa Cruz County are Latino – yet only 16 percent of our volunteers are Latino. Fifty two percent of these children are boys but only 20 percent of our volunteers are men.

Although there is a great need for bilingual and male volunteers, we encourage men and women from all cultures and professions and of all ethnic and educational backgrounds to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

Volunteers must attend one information session and complete a pre-training interview before beginning the 35-hour training that starts January 27, 2015.

Upcoming Informational sessions are:

• Tuesday, December 9, 2014, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Bay Federal Credit Union, located at 3333 Clares St. in Capitola
• Wednesday, December 17, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at CASA, located at 813 Freedom Blvd. in Watsonville
• Thursday, December 18, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. at The Buttery, located at 702 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz
• Friday, December 19, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at Surf City Coffee, located at 9105 Soquel Drive in Aptos

RSVP for an information session at www.tinyurl.com/CASAorientation