Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA) Santa Cruz

Organization Description

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) screens, trains and professionally supervises caring adult volunteers –more than 1,000 since 1992- to serve as mentors and powerful advocates for more than 1,500 of Santa Cruz County’s most vulnerable children; those who have been severely abused, neglected or abandoned. 

Children with a CASA Advocate are…

  • More stable while in foster care;
  • Receive more of the physical and emotional resources they need to heal;
  • Better able to succeed in school;
  • Less likely to return to the system.

Children with a CASA Advocate are more likely to grow into healthy adults who can break the cycle of abuse and neglect. 

We welcome your interest in CASA, whether as a potential volunteer, a partnering sponsor or agency, or as a donor. Through CASA you have the ability to make a powerful difference in the future of a child and in your community

Program Information

CASA volunteer Advocates are everyday people, trained by CASA and then appointed by judges to advocate for the safety of children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect.

CASA volunteers devote 2-4 hours a week getting to know the child and gathering information from everyone involved in the child’s case. Volunteers are fully supported by a staff supervisor and are part of a team that works in the best interests of the child. Advocates stay with each case until the child is placed in a safe, permanent home.

For many children in foster care, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives.

For many volunteers, CASA is a life-changing experience that makes a difference in our community.

 

Additional CHHS intern opportunities include assisting with social media content curation and creation, outreach support with focus on recruiting men and Latino volunteers, creating flyers, assisting CASA trainer with core training, marketing projects, data analysis, creating training videos, and extensive continuing education opportunities in the field of child welfare, trauma, all matters pertaining to foster youth, etc.

Health & Safety

Interns must be 21 years or older
Additional requirements and/or considerations
  • Background Check (e.g. fingerprinting/livescan, driving record)
  • Must be 18 or older
  • Fingerprinting
Address 
813 Freedom Blvd
Watsonville, CA 95076
United States
General Phone 
(831) 761-2956 Ext. 102
Website:
http://casaofsantacruz.org
Student Contact 
Name
Clarita Cortes
Job Title
Outreach and Recruitment manager
Phone
(831) 761-2956 Ext. 102
Email
Cita@casaofsantacruz.org

Current Opportunities

Title Program Start Date Location Type
Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA) Santa Cruz CHHS Ongoing Hybrid (combination of on-site and remote)
View all opportunities here
Program(s) 
CHHS
Organization type 
Charity Organization/Foundation (Nonprofit)
Focus Population(s)
Adopted/Foster Youth or Young Adults, Children/Youth, Teens/Young Adults
Focus Area(s)
Advocacy and Human Rights, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice, Health & Medicine
Additional Focus Area(s)
Social Transformation, Behavioral Health, Mental Well-being, Neglect Prevention and Intervention, Physical/Mental Abuse
Hours of operation 

Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm (Some weekend and evenings)

35 hour training required

Additional site tags 
Social work, foster youth
Maximum students 
5