Volunteering with Court Appointed Special Advocates sounds intimidating. Talking to judges, reviewing official documents, questioning police officers and making decisions that alter people’s lives — it’s not something to be taken lightly.
But as I found it, it’s worth it. If you’ve got the time, you should give it a shot.
A friend who has long volunteered as a CASA advocate convinced me to try it a few years ago. My case involved a couple of preschoolers whose parents struggled with drug abuse. After more than a year that included a half-dozen court hearings and many meetings between me and family members, day-care centers and possible foster families, they ended up being adopted by one of the parent’s sisters, a happy ending.
I, like a couple dozen others in the class, underwent several weeks of training and some hand-holding before I was let loose.
There’s usually a gap between the life experiences of the advocates and the experiences of the people they’re dealing with. CASA NH takes pains to bridge it.
The organization has decades of practice in preparing amateurs not only for the legal processes but, more importantly, for dealing with broken families. In age and social position, I was a pretty typical volunteer, although women are much more common than men.
The training went from ways to talk with scared children to ways to park your car for a quick getaway when doing interviews in a sketchy neighborhood. I found it quite effective, mostly because the staff had a potent mix of toughness and empathy. They were, to put it in a nutshell, awesome.
I’ve dealt with cops and firefighters my whole career, but they can’t hold a candle to an experienced social worker when it comes to handling life’s realities. That’s necessary if you might be in a position, as I was, to tell a woman that you are going to suggest that courts take away her rights as a mother because that would be best for her children.
It all sounds intimidating but hundreds, probably thousands, of people in New Hampshire have been a CASA volunteer over the decades, so it’s certainly doable. And helping children who need your help is, of course, a reward that’s impossible to underestimate.
Check out Casanh.org. They hold occasional informational sessions and are always happy to talk to potential volunteers.