Who are our volunteers, and how are they prepared?
- CASA/GAL volunteers are regular people, from all walks of life, who have been rigorously screened and trained extensively by their local program.
- Each volunteer receives more than 30 hours of training before they work with a child, with an additional 12 hours of continued education required annually.
- Volunteers receive ongoing support to help them advocate effectively on a child’s behalf.
- Each year, CASA/GAL programs train more than 24,000 new community advocates.
How are CASA/GAL volunteers different than social workers, attorneys and others working with children in court?
- CASA/GAL volunteers are assigned to only one or two children or sibling groups at a time.
- Our volunteers stay involved on the case from the time of appointment until the child achieves permanency.
- Because of the small number of children a volunteer serves, they have more time to commit to each child.
- CASA/GAL volunteers are specially trained to consider issues relevant to the best interests of the child, which may be different than the interests of other parties or the child’s wishes. Traditional attorneys who represent children are required to advocate for their client’s—the child’s—wishes.