SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Court Appointed Special Advocates of Northwest Arkansas (CASA) is urgently seeking volunteers to help support children in foster care.
The organization works with more than 440 Northwest Arkansas children in foster care and pairs each child with a volunteer to advocate for them throughout their case.
To ensure every child has someone, CASA said 30 more volunteers must be recruited by June 30.
CASA volunteers support kids going through the court system from the beginning of their cases to the end.
Courtney Voigt, CASA director of development and marketing, said the role of a volunteer is to be there for the child and help guide them through a complex time in their life. This includes being with them in the courtroom and meeting with them monthly to check-in.
“Think of the court system,” Voigt said. “I'm 30 years old, and I wouldn't know what to do in the court system. I don't know how it works. We're throwing these children to be in foster care from birth all the way to 21 years old into this system that's really not made for them.”
Voigt said having a compassionate adult to advocate for the child and explain what is happening in court makes a big difference.
CASA volunteers must be at least 21 years old and pass a background check. CASA will provide all of the necessary training.
Voigt added that CASA is looking for people of all professions and backgrounds to be volunteers.
“Anybody can do it,” Voigt said. “We have volunteers who work full time for corporate companies around here. We have people who are retired, we have teachers, we have students at the University of Arkansas that are CASA volunteers.”
The first step to becoming a volunteer is attending an information session with CASA. The next session will be held virtually on May 16. Sign-up information for upcoming sessions can be found on CASA’s website.
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