FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug 23, 2022
CONTACT: Gustavo Caraveo | gustavo@childadvocatessv.org
MILPITAS, CA — Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is happy to celebrate the graduation of 45 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers via Zoom on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. This class of graduating CASAs included a diverse mix of recruits. Multiple ethnicities and ages were well represented.
“We believe the diversity of the class, plus the enthusiasm the new CASAs demonstrated throughout the training, will lead to a more enriching experience for the children we serve,” stated Frederick J. Ferrer, CEO of Child Advocates of Silicon Valley. “We are grateful that many community members are committed to helping our kids.”
Before being sworn in, all CASA Volunteers must complete 30 hours of pre-service training that includes a combination of self-paced online courses and virtual presentations on various topics, including inclusionary practices and child development. Upon completion, CASA Volunteers are sworn in by the Honorable Judge Shawna Schwarz.
CASA Volunteers are not required to have a special background or experience to serve as Advocates. Each Advocate undergoes a thorough training process and is supported by Child Advocates staff once matched to a youth or sibling set. No matter the age of the youth, a CASA Volunteer mentors, advocates, and ensures the child’s voice is heard while in foster care.
Although more foster youth will soon be off the waitlist with the new graduates, there is still a need for more CASA Volunteers, specifically bilingual Spanish-speaking. Nevertheless, Child Advocates is dedicated to making pre-service training accessible and convenient to potential recruits.
“We continue to make adjustments to enhance our candidates’ experience with every class,” said Jasmine Scott, Learning Manager at Child Advocates of Silicon Valley. “Fall pre-service training will be held on Tuesday evenings beginning October. However, recruits will have early access to the self-paced online courses to get ahead of training.”
Child Advocates is responsible for operating the CASA Program in Santa Clara County according to the National CASA Association guidelines, which entails recruiting, training and supporting CASA Volunteers. Child Advocates holds four to six training classes annually to recruit a CASA for every child in the Santa Clara County Dependency Court System.
About Child Advocates of Silicon Valley
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is an independent nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization created in 1986. We serve children aged birth to 21 years old who are placed in the Santa Clara County Dependency Court System for having experienced trauma in the form of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment. We are responsible for operating the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program in Santa Clara County, which entails recruiting, training and supporting CASA Volunteers according to the National CASA Association standards. To learn more, please visit ChildAdvocatesSV.org.
About the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program
The first Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program in the nation was created in 1977 to ensure children in foster care, who have experienced abuse or neglect, have a trained volunteer speaking up in the courtroom for their best interests. All CASA Volunteers are trained community members who are appointed with a court order by a judge to advocate for the best interests of a child in foster care. They stay with each case for up to a year or until the case is closed and the child is in a safe, permanent home. CASA Volunteers work with legal and child welfare professionals, educators, service providers and family members to ensure the child’s voice is heard. Their advocacy enables judges to make the most well-informed decision for each child.
###