Advocates
CASA advocates are ordinary people, diverse in educational background, careers, and stages of life, doing extraordinary things.
- Must be 21 years of age
- No criminal history
- Be able to complete 30 hours of training
- Have a desire to help abused and neglected children
Why Volunteer?
CASA volunteers are also taught effective advocacy techniques, and learn about a variety of relevant topics, from adolescent behavior to signs of sexual abuse.
Volunteers bring a much-needed outside perspective to our court and child welfare systems. Their independent investigation not only brings a fresh perspective to others involved, it opens our doors to the community and helps raise public awareness of the plight of Putnam County’s abused and neglected children.
What Is A Volunteer?
CASA volunteers are ordinary people who care about kids and come from all backgrounds. Many work full time, some are students or retired people. Most CASA volunteers work on one case at a time and no legal expertise is required.
CASA volunteers are assigned to an abuse or neglect case by a judge. They conduct thorough research on the background of the case, review documents, interviewing everyone involved. They make reports to the court, recommending what they believe is best for the child and providing the judge with all the information what is needed to make an informed decision. CASA Volunteers may be the ONLY constant the child knows as he/she moves through the labyrinth of the child welfare system.
When you take on a case, you take on a child's future. Most programs ask a commitment of at least a year and some cases last longer. The national average of volunteer hours is 88 hours per year. CASA volunteers must be able to talk to a wide variety of people - from healthcare professionals to school officials to an angry parent. CASA volunteers present written reports to the court, sometimes speaking in the courtroom on behalf of the child's best interests.
NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER AS AN ADVOCATE. FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER IN ANOTHER CAPACITY. PUTNAM COUNTY CASA WELCOMES EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB OF ALL....PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN.