CASA Volunteers have many different backgrounds and come from all walks of life. Whether you are an industry leader, a concerned community member, or someone with personal foster care experiences, YOU can be a successful volunteer. All you need is to share our passion and commitment to advocating for the best interest of children.
We strive to connect CASA children in need with volunteers who best support/relate/represent/connect them. We are always seeking volunteers who share the diverse qualities of the children we serve, such as multilingual, BIPOC, and folx of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Email us at volunteer@thecasaproject.org with any questions.
Conduct an independent investigation by reviewing all pertinent documents and records, helping a judge learn the nuances of each child’s prospective caregiver situations.
Interview the children, parents, social worker(s), foster parents, counselors, and teachers to determine the facts and circumstances of the child’s situation.
Visit the child at least once a month to monitor the well-being of the child. The CASA volunteer may be the only constant adult in the child’s life.
Provide findings and information for written reports to the court. Volunteers are welcome to attend hearings with their supervisor after completing our Court Etiquette training.
Make recommendations for specific services for the child and family and advocate for necessary services which may not be immediately identified or available.
Advocate for the child’s interests in the community by bringing concerns about physical health, mental health, or education to the appropriate professionals, and assure that the child’s needs in these areas are met.
Each CASA Volunteer must complete a comprehensive training program, including an annual 12 hours of continuing education. We offer several virtual training sessions throughout the year to accommodate our volunteers.
Training is conducted by CASA Project Worcester County staff and covers all volunteer responsibilities. In addition, veteran volunteers participate in a CASA panel, answering questions and describing actual case experiences.
Each volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is assigned an Advocate Supervisor who provides assistance and guidance throughout the life of the case.
After completing training, a CASA is assigned to a case by a juvenile court judge. They then become the advocate and trusted adult for a child or sibling group. This role is time-consuming and fulfilling, needing a volunteer’s monthly commitment of 15-20 hours. Due to the everchanging nature of being a child in foster care, it is our goal to keep a CASA volunteer on the same case for its duration, which can be a few months or a few years. These children grow to trust and rely on their CASA volunteers for stability, and in return, your advocacy will bring hope and light to the lives of the children you serve.
