Volunteer
What do CASA volunteers do?
CASA volunteers are everyday people – teachers, business people, retirees, stay-at-home moms, and grandparents – who are committed to making a difference for children who might otherwise slip through the cracks in an overburdened foster care system. They are appointed by judges to guide one child or one set of siblings through the system to safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. CASA volunteers research case records and speak to each person involved in a child’s life, including family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. They monitor the progress of the child and family throughout the case and advocate for the child’s current and future needs in court in school, and in agency meetings. Their independent evaluations allow the court to make better informed decisions.
Because CASAs serve on one case at a time, they truly get to know the child and can give each case the sustained, personal attention it deserves.
We invite you to join our family of volunteers and make a difference in a child’s life – and your own.
Qualifications
A CASA Volunteer Must:
- Be 21 years of age or older.
- Successfully pass screening and background check requirements.
- Successfully complete initial training provided by the Gulf Coast CASA program.
(30 hours of initial training (15 hours prework and 15 hours in person), plus 3 hours of courtroom observation & 12 hours of continuing education per year). - Be able to make a 12-month minimum commitment to a case.
(An average of 10-15 hours per month) - Be able to keep information confidential and work within established program guidelines.
You cannot be a current foster parent or be in the process of adopting a child from Child Protective Services.
Please consider becoming a volunteer with Gulf Coast CASA.