Submitted by CASA of Will County
Area nonprofit organization CASA of Will County is currently seeking volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.
The next training session for new advocates will consist of six dates, which will be held beginning July 16 and ending July 26. CASA volunteers play an integral role in a child victim’s life by acting as Guardian ad Litem in court cases involving minors who have been abused or neglected. As advocates, CASA volunteers fulfill four primary roles in their appointed children’s cases:
- Investigation of the child’s circumstances, becoming the judge’s eyes and ears;
- Monitoring compliance with court orders, ensuring necessary services are being provided to the child and family;
- Verification of whether the parents are completing their services and improving their parenting skills; and
- Advocating for successful placement in a permanent loving home as quickly as possible.
The children that are assigned CASA advocates have been betrayed by the very adults that are supposed to love and protect them. For many children, they have never had the chance to build a trusting relationship with anyone.
By visiting the child on a monthly basis, our volunteers build trust through creating positive memories with the children, playing with them and letting them know someone cares. CASA’s volunteers allow these children to have a voice in court, giving them some control over their future and letting the judge know what is in their best interests.
“People are unaware of the vital role a CASA volunteer makes not only in the success of the system but in positively impacting the child’s life,” said CASA of Will County Executive Director Rita Facchina. “We are hoping that by learning there is a need, more people will come forward to generously donate their time to serve the children of Will County as a CASA volunteer.”
In order to fulfill these responsibilities, advocates receive 33 hours of pre-service training and must commit to approximately 10 hours per month of volunteer service in addition to meeting other requirements, including a criminal background check and a personal interview.
The first step for anyone interested in becoming a CASA volunteer is to submit a Volunteer Application, which can be found online atwww.casaofwillcounty.org/application.shtml. Training classes take place quarterly. The volunteer training schedule can be found online at www.casaofwillcounty.org/training.shtml.
Those interested in the program can call the office at 815-730-7072, email Danielle Crisanto at dcrisanto@casaofwillcounty.org, or visit the website at www.casaofwillcounty.org.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Will County is a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to draw from the community resources to provide well-trained volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in our juvenile court system. For more information, visit www.casaofwillcounty.org or follow CASA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/casawillcounty.