CASA for Lancaster County (casa4lancaster.org/advocate-for-children) is seeking volunteers. A six-week training course for new volunteers begins Oct. 14 and will be held Tuesday nights from 6–9 p.m. All training sessions will be held at CASA for Lancaster County, 1141 H St., STE C, on the third floor.
CASA volunteers serve as trained community advocates for children in juvenile court who have been abused or neglected. Volunteers are given a court order that provides access to the child and relevant records to gather information, assess needs and communicate findings to the court. This is done by getting to know the child, interviewing concerned parties and reviewing documents.
Volunteers communicate the child’s needs and wishes to the judge and make recommendations for services or next steps. They are required to complete approximately 30 hours of pre-service training and 12 hours of in-service continuing education annually, and are supervised by CASA staff. In 2024, CASA served 289 children, trained 28 new volunteers and had 117 volunteers assigned to children.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer or about CASA for Lancaster County, visit (casa4lancaster.org/advocate-for-children).