CASA Offers Training for New Volunteer Advocates to Support Children in Need

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children; www.casa4lancaster.org) for Lancaster County is offering training for new volunteer advocates. CASA is looking for caring adult volunteers who are interested in working to provide a voice for children in juvenile court. CASA volunteers gather information about the children’s circumstances and write reports to the judge giving them more information and providing recommendations for needed services and next steps.

New volunteer training is a 30-hour curriculum presented through a combination of online and in-class learning. In-class sessions are held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday evenings at the CASA office, located at 1141 H St. in Lincoln. Their next volunteer training begins August 4 and runs weekly through September 8.

CASA recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate for the best interests of abused, neglected, truant, and ungovernable children who are in juvenile court through no fault of their own. In 2019, 106 community members volunteered as advocates, helping to serve 234 children in Lancaster County. The nonprofit’s 2019 trainings brought 35 new volunteer advocates to the program. CASA volunteers are trained community volunteers who are appointed by a juvenile court judge. They do their own investigation and write reports to the judge about what they’ve observed, make sure the children’s needs are met while they are in the system, and assist in moving cases forward so that children do not linger needlessly in foster care.

CASA for Lancaster County is a volunteer-driven local organization of caring people who want to make a difference in children’s lives. For more information about becoming a volunteer advocate with CASA for Lancaster County, visit www.casa4lancaster.org or contact Dawn Rockey at (402) 474-5161 / drockey@casa4lancaster.org.