Training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate typically takes place two nights a week from 6-9 p.m. for 5 weeks. This summer CASA of Santa Cruz County will offer a special daytime training that will take place Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for two weeks. This is a rare opportunity to complete the 35-hour course without having to drive at night.
You do not have to be a lawyer or social worker to volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASA volunteers 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 of abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers are fully supported by a staff supervisor and are part of a team that works in the best interests of the child.
A CASA volunteer spends time with his or her child each week, gathering information from everyone involved in the child’s case. CASA volunteers also work with attorneys and social workers. They review records, research information, and talk to anyone involved with the child, including parents, extended family members, doctors and teachers.
From information gathered, a volunteer presents his or her best recommendations to the judge, for the safety and welfare of his or her CASA child. Very often, a case involving an abused child can slip through the cracks in the overburdened child welfare system.
The best hope for that child is one pair of eyes and ears focused intently upon him or her. Those eyes and ears belong to that child’s very own personal CASA volunteer. Although there is a great need for bilingual and male volunteers, we always encourage people from all cultures and professions and of all ethnic and educational backgrounds to learn more.
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Upcoming Informational session
Tuesday, June 19, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Live Oak Family Resource Center, located at 1740 17th Ave. in Santa Cruz Learn more at www.casaofsantacruz.org and click on “Volunteer”.
For more information contact Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Cruz County www.casaofsantacruz.org • Phone: (831) 761-2956 www.tinyurl.com/CASAworks email: [email protected]