Make a difference in 2018! Volunteer to be the voice of a youth

Are you an ordinary citizen looking for an extraordinary way to make a difference with children in 2018? If so, Court Appointed Special Advocate or CASA/Prince George’s County is looking to recruit volunteer advocates just like you!

CASA is a nonprofit organization that connects community volunteers to children who have been abused or neglected, and are living in foster care. CASA volunteers serve as the “voice” for the child through advocacy efforts. The ultimate goal of a CASA is to find the child a safe, loving and permanent home.

CASA volunteer advocates get to know their child through bi-monthly visits. CASA volunteers also gather information and conduct interviews with relevant parties such as social workers, attorneys, school teachers and family members in the case. They use this information to write a court report that helps a judge decide what is in the best interest of the child. The CASA volunteer’s role is four parts—investigator, reporter, advocate and monitor.

“CASAs have the ability to make a powerful difference in the life a child,” said Ann Marie Binsner, Executive Director for CASA/Prince George’s County. Binsner adds that for many abused and neglected children, their CASA volunteer is the only reliable adult presence in their lives.

Prospective volunteers are asked to complete an application and interview process. Volunteers accepted into the program participate in 37.5 hours of pre-service training. After completing training, advocates undergo a background check. Volunteers are then matched with a child and receive guidance from a case supervisor. The time commitment required is one year or until the closure of one case.

According to Binsner, the local organization has approximately 150 CASA volunteers for the county’s nearly 500 youth in foster care. The organization wants to recruit more volunteers, so that every child in foster care can have a CASA in the New Year. The organization especially in need of volunteers who can speak Spanish.

CASA/Prince George’s County will hold its winter pre-service training for volunteers from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays starting January 18–February 15, 2018. Apply now to be considered for training in winter or during our spring session.

To learn how to attend the training or for more information about becoming a CASA volunteer, please call 301-209-0491, email us at volunteer@pgcasa.org or visit www.pgcasa.org/become-a-volunteer/.

About Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)/Prince George’s County, Inc.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George's County, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of abused and neglected children living in foster care. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child's individual needs. By providing a voice to children in the foster care system, it is our goal to promote the timely placement of the children we serve in safe, permanent homes.