Volunteers

The Volunteer Commitment

 

People who give their time to CASA come from all walks of life. Some have years of education and professional experience working with children and families. Some have themselves grown up in a foster care system and felt the pain of having to move from home to home.

Being a CASA volunteer does not require special qualifications or education. The basic requirement is the desire to help abused and neglected children find safe, permanent homes; and be willing to give approximately 10 hours each month to the cause. Jefferson County CASA has 52 volunteers serving almost 200 abused and neglected children. Several more volunteers are needed to advocate for the numerous children who have been neglected and abused. So what does it take to become a CASA volunteer?

• The first step is to contact the CASA staff at 205-325-5019. They will assist you in providing paperwork to initiate a background check. When you are cleared, CASA staff will schedule you for a 30-hour training/orientation course to help you understand your role, responsibility and the resources available to you.
• After successfully completing the training, you will be assigned a case. Volunteers are asked to dedicate themselves to a case until it is closed. The average case lasts about a year and a half.
• Volunteers are supervised every step of the way and always have resources readily available.

CASA Volunteer Top Ten List

1. Conduct an independent investigation by reviewing all pertinent documents and records and interviewing the child, parents, social workers, foster parents, teachers, therapists, daycare providers and other relevant persons to determine the facts and circumstances of the child’s situation.
2. Explain the court proceedings and the role of the CASA volunteer to the child in terms that the child can understand.
3. Determine the thoughts and feelings of the child about the situation, taking into account the child’s age, maturity, culture, ethnicity, and degree of attachment to family members, including siblings.
4. Seek cooperative solutions by acting as a facilitator among conflicting parties to resolve issues and foster positive steps toward achieving permanence for the child.
5. Make recommendations for specific, appropriate services for the child and the child’s family, and advocate for necessary services which may not be immediately available.
6. Advocate for the child’s interests in the community by bringing concerns regarding the child’s health, education and mental health to the appropriate professionals to ensure that the child’s needs in these areas are met.
7. Inform the court promptly of important developments including any agency’s failure to provide services or the family’s failure to participate, or cooperate.
8. Provide written reports at every hearing which include findings and recommendations.
9. Appear at all hearings to advocate for the child’s best interest and provide testimony when necessary.
10. Monitor implementation of case plans and court orders, checking to see that court-ordered services are implemented in a timely manner and that review hearings are held in accordance with the law.