FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Being a CASA Volunteer

How do you become a CASA volunteer?

You can become a CASA volunteer by first calling (606) 324-6444 for an application. After completing the application, a personal interview is conducted and police and child abuse registry checks are processed. If an applicant successfully completes the above, then he or she attends training, and after demonstrating the ability to apply the knowledge gained from trainings, and observing juvenile court they will be assigned their first case. Every CASA volunteer will have the opportunity to "shadow" another CASA volunteer before working independently on an assigned case.

While having some experience in dealing with these issues can be helpful, it is not imperative. CASA provides extensive training to their volunteers. Each new volunteer is expected to participate in approximately 30 hours of training which takes place on 2-3 evenings and two Saturdays over a period of two weeks They will also have the opportunity to "shadow" an experienced volunteer on a visit with a child or adult interview. In addition, a time is set up for each new volunteer to accompany one of the CASA staff to court in order to better understand the court process and reduce the intimidation when it comes time for the volunteer to speak in court on behalf of their CASA child. Important skills a CASA volunteer should have are mostly attitudinal. Good people skills, common sense, empathy, an ability to be non-judgmental are all extremely important when working with the children we serve.

There are many professionals who are involved in the lives of victimized children. Unfortunately, their role is sometimes limited by time constraints. An overburdened social service system makes frequent visits difficult. Social service workers are required to see their clients once every four to six weeks. By law, they must advocate on behalf of the parents’ rights as well as the child's and endeavor to reunify the family.

Yes, the guardian ad litem (GAL) attorney does advocate on behalf of the child in court, but has little or no contact with the child outside of the courtroom. Therefore, he or she is yet another stranger in that child’s life. Locally, the GAL's case load is 1500 annually and often does not ever see the child or visit the child's home.

So, what is it that CASA volunteers do that makes a difference?

Because CASA volunteers take only 1-3 cases at a time, they are in a position to thoroughly investigate, closely monitor and in general make a commitment to the child that they will follow the case until resolution takes place. What this means to the child is that there will be one person who they can count on to be a constant in their case. This is extremely important as so many of the parties involved with the child change many times over the period of time their case is in the court system. While having one person who is a constant in the child’s life is beneficial to that particular child or sibling group, perhaps even more valuable is that the court is being provided up to date information from a contact person who has been consistently and closely involved.

What else should I know about becoming a CASA volunteer?

CASA volunteers have a very important role to play in the lives of children who have been abused or neglected and are currently in the Juvenile Court system. Because of the high level of involvement and responsibility, it is imperative that each volunteer participates fully in the necessary application, screening and training process. While you may only devote 2 or 4 hours a week to CASA volunteer work, that time will be very well spent as you realize the positive impact you are having on the lives of these needy children. This is unlike any other volunteer opportunity in that volunteers have the ability to alter the direction of a child's life and this commitment should not be taken lightly.