What made you decide to become a CASA? I have been blessed with a close family, good education and a fulfilling career. For most of my life the focus has been on family and career. There never seemed to be enough time to give to a worthy cause. After retirement, I started searching for something I could do that would make a quantifiable difference in the lives of others. A quote that has been attributed to Mahatma Gandhi among others has always resonated with me. "The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members." As I was researching volunteer opportunities, it became clear that children in Foster Care are among the most vulnerable members in society. A friend told me about CASA and the work it does for these children. I was immediately drawn to this cause and became a CASA volunteer to help children who need an advocate to be their voice when they are feeling hopeless and powerless.
What has been the most rewarding part of being a CASA? Being a CASA has been rewarding in so many ways it is difficult to single out just one. However, the most consistently rewarding part of being a CASA volunteer is being able to form a bond of trust with the children I work with as well as the significant adults in their lives. This takes time and effort given the circumstances that resulted in their being involved in the Foster Care system. This bond is the foundation on which my advocacy is built. It creates an atmosphere that allows open communication about the wants, needs, and hopes of each individual. This allows me to focus advocacy on the most important issues from their perspective. It also helps identify issues that can be addressed with existing resources of which they are not aware. Being able to help children get their immediate needs met and building hope for the future is for me the most rewarding part of being a CASA.
Please share a special moment with us about your advocacy work with your CASA kid or on your case. I have been a CASA for one child for four years. She is now a teenager and has been involved with the juvenile justice system for the last two years. During this time, she has gone for months with no contact with her family or professionals assigned to her case. Although I can't call her while she is in detention, she calls me several times a week to talk about her successes, challenges and ask for advice about things that are important to most teenage girls. I make sure to visit her as often as I can - especially on birthdays and holidays. Recently we were talking about an upcoming Court Hearing. I wanted to make sure that my report accurately portrayed her wants and needs regarding conditional release from detention. At the end of the conversation, she thanked me for speaking up for her and making her wishes known to the Court. Then she said, "I trust you, man. You're my family, ya know?" This was both rewarding and humbling as I realized the pivotal role my involvement played in the darkest and most difficult times in her young life.
What is your favorite way to connect with your CASA kids? Connecting with my CASA kids varies depending on their age. However, in person visits when possible are my favorite way of connecting with all of my children. With my younger children, we play games, colour or read. This gives us a chance to talk about significant events in their lives in a natural setting. With my older children, we may draw, do crafts, or just talk. I know that I've formed a connection with them when they start wanting the relationship to be reciprocal. They start asking me how my week was, my plans for the future, and many of the same questions I typically ask them! That is when I know we've formed a true trust-based connection.
Why do you think having a CASA volunteer throughout such a chaotic time is important for foster children? A CASA volunteer provides consistency as a child is moved from placement to placement and as the professionals assigned to their case come and go. The CASA is the 'historian' for the child. They literally speak for the child to others who only know what they learned by reviewing files. By knowing and sharing the child's history and using it as the basis of their advocacy, the CASA helps reduce the chaos, stress and fear the child experiences