A Volunteer Child Advocate is an adult who volunteers to spend time with and trains to advocate on behalf of an unaccompanied or separated immigrant child while they are subject to immigration and removal proceedings. Volunteers receive continuous training, support, and supervision from Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights San Antonio social workers and attorneys, and together they advocate for the best interests of the child they are serving.

Before being assigned to advocate for a child, volunteer advocates are required to attend a two-day training event on child development, child-led communication and activities, U.S. immigration law, and issues facing unaccompanied immigrant children. Prior to attending the training, advocates will also be required to complete an online classroom component.

Our next two-day training will take place on Saturday September 10 and Sunday September 11. Applications to attend the training are due August 25, but will be reviewed on a rolling basis. There is limited space, so we encourage interested individuals to apply early. There will be two information sessions about the volunteer program on August 10 and 16. To sign up, fill out the form at bit.ly/YCSAtraining.

We welcome volunteers in the San Antonio area from all cultures, professions, races, ethnicities and social backgrounds. We are particularly seeking volunteers who are Spanish speakers; there are limited spaces reserved for non-Spanish speakers at the training event. We also work with limited volunteers in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.

As a Child Advocate, volunteers commit to:

• Visit with the child once a week for the duration of their shelter/facility stay, typically around 3-5 months (Visits have been conducted remotely but are transitioning to in-person depending on facility availability and volunteer preference)
• Help the child think through options and decisions.
• If available, accompany the child to court hearings and other important meetings and interviews when available.
• Conduct research on the child’s situation in his or her home country, if the volunteer is interested
• Help a staff attorney or social worker draft a written report regarding best interest recommendations.
• Maintain communication with the Young Center staff, the child’s Case Manager at the shelter and the child’s attorney.
• Advocate for the best interest of the child to stakeholders

If you are interested in applying to become a trained child advocate, please fill out the interest form: bit.ly/YCSAtraining. You can also contact Julia Beck, San Antonio Volunteer Coordinator, at jbeck@theyoungcenter.org or respond to this listing. Julia can send you the link to our online application form as well as provide more information about information sessions, the training event, and the volunteer experience.

*Advocates must be at least 21 years old. Per federal policy, a background check, COVID immunization, and tuberculosis screening will be required before visiting with a child.*