Tell us about you
Hi, I’m Sam I’m currently a graduate student living in Central Arkansas! When I’m not studying, you can probably find me outside doing something active.
What is a CASA Volunteer?
A CASA Volunteer is a court appointed special advocate. This means a volunteer who is appointed by the court to be a special advocate for children who are currently in the foster system. The court appoints an advocate for children who are in the system when there is a perceived need for advocacy that is dependent only on the child’s needs. Sometimes when there are many hands in the pot all fighting for their own interest in the child, the child themselves get overlooked at it is easy to lose child of what is best for the child. The advocate is uniquely placed in order develop a relationship with the child so they can recommend to the court an unbiased opinion of what is in the best interest of the child.
What motivated you to become a CASA Volunteer?
I was motivated to become a CASA after watching a performance of Luna Gale, a play that is set in present-day and follows a baby who has been taken from her young and drug addicted parents. Although you observe much of the child’s life through the eyes of the social worker, you see many sudden shifts and placement changes a child in the system faces. I was able to attend a talk back at the end of the play with the actors and staff from the local CASA office. Until this point, I was unaware that CASA existed. I’ve always felt strongly that believers should be involved with foster children. However, I never felt there was a role that fit easy into my busy season of life. Hearing about CASA through at this talk back, I knew that this was the perfect role for me.
Share a highlight of your CASA Volunteer experience.
The highlight of my CASA experience was when the case was over and I knew the kids were going to the best placement possible. I was able to see my case through from start to finish. There were moments when I knew the kids were facing some really tough living situations. When the judge finally ruled and we truly knew they were getting the best placement possible, all the hard work and emotional labor really becomes worth it.
Tell us something about your experience that you didn’t expect or anticipate happening.
I truly didn’t didn’t anticipate how quickly a judge would review a case during a hearing. Sure, they’ve been following these families for some time and have information they read prior to trial, but they really don’t give much weight to what goes on during the actual hearing. This opened my eyes to how important the work of a CASA is. Often times what the judge reads before a hearing is the recommendations from YOU, the CASA volunteer. The weight that a judge puts into a CASA recommendation truly brings a new perspective to the importance of the role.