The requirements to be a CASA volunteer are simple. We require all of our volunteers to have a clean background check with no felonies or charges of child abuse and neglect. Ensuring we have safe and stable individuals around the kids we serve is a priority for our organization.

We also ask that you are at least 21 years of age and have a Highschool Diploma, GED or equivalent.

We also ask that volunteers have a valid drivers license. One of the most important requirements is that you love working with kids and want to make a difference for a child or older youth in foster care!

Still have a few questions about our requirements? You are always welcome to call our office and speak with a staff member!

The average amount of time that a volunteer spends on their CASA case each month is about 5 to 10 hours total. The best part about this volunteering at CASA is that it is a very flexible volunteer opportunity!

Spending intentional time with your CASA children (at least 2 visits a month) can be scheduled when it is most convenient for you and the child.

Outside of your child visits, you will have about one meeting a month with the other professionals involved in that child's life to help make decisions about their wellbeing and future. This meeting is typically scheduled during the day, so some slight flexibility in your schedule (you will be given plenty of advance notice) is ideal.

You will also have the opportunity to attend a short and informal court hearing once every 3 to 6 months to share your observations and needs of the case. A large majority of this volunteer experience will be communicating by phone or email to the individuals involved in the court team or gathering additional information about your assigned child.

Every case is a little different, so our CASA staff will help you find a case that fits your lifestyle and schedule!

Our training is designed to give you as much foundational information as possible to help you feel informed and prepared to be a great volunteer.

Our training for CASA volunteers is a total of 30 hours over the span of several weeks. Our training covers topics like understanding  how the foster care system works, the impact of trauma on children, the Juvenile court system and so much more!

Our training is a hybrid of classroom and online self-paced training where you interact with other volunteers to learn your role and prepare to make a difference for a child in foster care.

We are always training the community throughout the year, so it is easy to find a training schedule that works for you!

The best part is, you do not need to be a social worker or lawyer to understand our training.

It really is designed for everyone to understand!

The best part about being a CASA volunteer is that you are NEVER alone! At CASA, we have an incredibly experienced and dedicated staff of child welfare professionals here to help.

As a CASA volunteer, you will be assigned to an Advocate Supervisor upon finishing your volunteer training program. Your Advocate Supervisor will be there to assist you with your case every step of the way by providing support and encouragement while helping answer all of your questions that may arise as you navigate your case.

You never have to worry about knowing everything, because we have your back!

We ask that anyone who wants to become a CASA volunteer, agrees to a 2 year commitment. The average time a child spends in foster care is 2 years, so it is important to plan to make that commitment to this volunteer opportunity.

It is really important that once a volunteer is assigned to a child and becomes a part of their life, that they continue to be a consistent support and fulfil their volunteer commitment completely. The children we serve in foster care experience a significant amount of change and loss in their life and we do not want to add to that experience with the loss of a volunteer.

When deciding if this volunteer opportunity is right for you, try to ensure that you have no major life plans that would halt your ability to serve. Our staff are happy to brainstorm with you to make sure this is a commitment that you are able to make at this time.

If you are ready to volunteer, you first need to complete an application to volunteer on our website.

Once we receive your application, we will contact you to set up an informal interview. This interview is a series of questions to help us get to know you better to make sure this volunteer experience is a good fit for you and for our organization.

After completing your interview, you will be enrolled in a training cycle that works for your schedule and will complete background check paperwork.

After training, you will be sworn in by a Judge at a special ceremony and be assigned your first case!