-
DONATE TO THIS
ORGANIZATION -
2 people are interested
CASA Volunteers needed in Santa Maria
ORGANIZATION: CASA of Santa Barbara County
Please visit the new page to apply.
-
DONATE TO THIS
ORGANIZATION -
2 people are interested
Right now, 33 children in Santa Maria have been removed from their homes and are waiting for a volunteer to advocate for them. Nobody longs for a safe and loving family more than a child in foster care.
As a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer, you are empowered by the courts to help make this dream a reality. You will not only bring positive change to the lives of these vulnerable children but also their children and generations to come. And in doing so, you will enrich your life as well.
What Do CASA Volunteers Do?
CASA volunteers get to know the child they are assigned to by talking with everyone in that child’s life: parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers and others. They use the information they gather to inform judges and others of what the child needs and what will be the best permanent home for them. A CASA volunteer fulfills six main roles:
- Meet with the child once per week for at least one hour;
- Gather information from all interested parties, such as attorneys, social workers, teachers, caregivers, therapists, etc.;
- Keep an eye out for any unmet needs of the child, and advocate for those needs to be met
- Write a court report to the juvenile court judge for each hearing concerning the child. The report gives the judge the information the advocate has gathered, what the advocate believes to be in the child’s best interests, and what the child would like to have happen
- Attend all court hearings regarding the child (usually once every six months, sometimes more frequent)
- Monitor the case by doing all of the above until the child is placed into a safe, permanent, nurturing home
Who Can Be a Volunteer?
You do not have to be a lawyer or a social worker to be a volunteer. We welcome people from all walks of life. We are simply looking for people who care about children and have common sense. As a volunteer, you will be thoroughly trained and well supported by professional staff to help you through each case.
Call CASA today to find for training dates in Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Santa Ynez Valley.
More opportunities with CASA of Santa Barbara County
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About CASA of Santa Barbara County
Location:
2125 S Broadway, Suite 106, Santa Maria, CA 93454, US
Mission Statement
The mission of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Barbara County is to assure a safe, permanent, nurturing home for all abused and/or neglected children by providing a highly trained volunteer to advocate for them in the court system.
Description
Every day in this country, 1,900 children become victims of abuse or neglect, and four of them will die. Every day. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a network of 949 community-based programs that recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Volunteer advocates--empowered directly by the courts--offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care.
Volunteers stay with children until they are placed in loving permanent homes. For many abused children, a CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
2601 Skyway DriveSanta Maria,, CA 93455
DATE POSTED
July 27, 2017
SKILLS
- Child Development
- Child Welfare
- Mentoring
- Special Needs
- Child Advocacy
GOOD FOR
- People 55+
REQUIREMENTS
- Background Check
- Must be at least 21
- Orientation or Training
- 6-12 hours per month, min. 1 hour each week