New CASA Volunteer Swearing-In Ceremony
What is a CASA Volunteer? CASA volunteers (Court Appointed Special Advocates) provide a powerful voice in court for abused and neglected children. They investigate, examine and recommend to the Juvenile Judge the best option for a safe and permanent home for the children assigned to them. CASA volunteers spend the majority of their time interviewing adults involved in the case, including teachers, foster parents, attorneys, caseworkers, counselors, parents, medical professionals and family members to determine the facts and circumstances of the child’s situation. Click here to read the full CASA volunteer job description.
Who volunteers for CASA? People just like you. Full or part-time professionals, semi-retired or retired educators, stay-at-home parents and college-age students. You do not have to be a lawyer or social worker to be a volunteer. A typical CASA volunteer: passionately cares about the health and welfare of children; appreciates a high quality of life in their community; believes that abuse has no place in the home; and understands that children who witness or experience abuse are forever affected. Click here for more information about our current volunteer demographics. Click here to read stories about a few of our dedicated CASA volunteers.
Time Commitment: Each case lasts, on average, two years and requires approximately 10-15 volunteer hours each month. For the child’s sake, we require you to commit to the case as long as your assigned child remains a ward of the court.
Training: CASA volunteers receive 40 hours of training at CASA over a 10-week training period. Upon completion all volunteers will be sworn in before the Juvenile Court judge and will then be assigned a case and a supervisor who will assist them throughout the process. Click here for a training schedule.
Does the judge listen to a CASA volunteer’s recommendations? Yes! Judges rely heavily on the testimony of the CASA volunteer to make an informed decision on the child’s future. The judge is aware that CASA volunteers are typically assigned to just one child or family of children and is a constant presence in that child’s life.
Want to apply to become a volunteer?
Thank you for your interest! We are currently accepting applications for our spring 2012 training class on a rolling admissions basis. Click here to view the CASA Volunteer Job Description.
Formal applications will be due no later than February 15, 2012. There are some preliminary screening steps before a formal application can be completed, so please begin the application process early. Click here to view the full application process.
The first step is to return a signed Screening Agreement to Megan Benevento, Volunteer Coordinator, CASA, 174 Deadmond Ferry Road, Springfield, OR 97477. Megan will then contact you regarding the next steps of the application process.
For more information, you can e-mail Megan Benevento or call her at (541) 868-3083.
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