Life Stories Child & Family Advocacy is seeking caring, community members to join our CASA Program. The primary role of a CASA is to advocate on behalf of children who have faced abuse or neglect. A CASA is appointed to a case by a judge to help children who are part of open court cases in Weld County. The goal of the program is to ensure all of these children end up in safe, permanent homes.
We recruit, screen, train, and supervise volunteers while they help abused and neglected youth navigate through the court system. As a CASA, you are the one consistent adult in these children’s lives, fighting for them, and ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect. CASA volunteers should work first, last, and always in the best interest of the child. Our next training begins June 5th.
Volunteer Requirements:
Must be 21 years of age
Pass the required background checks
Provide 3 references
Make a commitment to serve as a CASA for a minimum of 18 months
Be willing to volunteer ~10-12 hours/month
Most of this time is spent with the child (meet with them 3-4 times/month)
Complete 30 hours of training provided by the CASA Program
Attend 12 hours of continuing education sessions each year
Maintain strict confidentiality
Write a court report for each hearing
Maintain objectivity and professionalism in dealing with children, parents, and all other parties involved in the case
Possess written and verbal skills
For more information, please visit www.lifestoriesweld.org/casa/ or call Kodie at 970-353-5970.
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Life Stories Child & Family Advocacy
Location:
1610 29th Ave. Place, Suite 201, Greeley, CO 80634, US
Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide advocacy and support for abused or neglected children by advancing coordinated investigations, prosecution, and victim services.
Description
Life Stories Child & Family Advocacy (formerly A Kid's Place) is the home of the Weld County Child Advocacy Center and the CASA Program. At Life Stories, we wor k hard to make sure that a child's life that may have been altered by abuse is not defined by it.
CASA of Weld County trains community volunteers to become CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates). The CASA Program trains, supervises, and empowers community volunteers to serve, at the request of our judges, as advocates for children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents. They ensure that the best interests of an abused or neglected child are represented in court.
The Child Advocacy Center is designed to be a safe haven for child victims of crime where law enforcement and social service agencies can interview and aid children as well as their non-offending family members. Because of our center, a child victim will not have to be interviewed at a police station. It means that an already traumatized child will not be re-traumatized by the very system that is trying to assist them. Providing these services is important because the longer a child victim waits to start the healing process, the less likely they are to fully recover from the trauma they have experienced.
