200+ Santa Clara Co. Foster Kids Need Mentors; Perhaps, You?

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA – Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is looking for a few good men and women to volunteer and serve as friends, mentors and advocates for foster children in Santa Clara County. The non-profit organization is holding monthly Open Houses/Volunteer Orientations in February and March to recruit volunteers for its April training class.

Child Advocates recruits, trains and supports Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to work one-on-one with children in foster care. CASAs provide critical emotional and educational support, ensuring that each child’s needs are met and their voice is heard while they navigate the court dependency system.

“We know CASAs make a tremendous difference in a foster child’s life,” says Karen Scussel, executive director of Child Advocates. Scussel notes that only 58% of all foster youth in California complete high school but with the support of a CASA, foster teens fare much better.

Last year, 93% of Child Advocates’ teens completed their high school requirements and planned to continue their education at a community college or vocational program.

Child Advocates has an ambitious five-year strategic plan to provide a CASA for every child in the Santa Clara County foster care system by year-end 2018. Currently, there are more than 1,600 children in the Santa Clara County dependency system, 1,000 of which could benefit from a CASA. This year, Child Advocates hopes to serve 780 children with a CASA volunteer.

George Ochoa, a Child Advocates’ employee who has been a CASA volunteer to several young boys, says the organization is particularly interested in recruiting male advocates and Latino advocates.

“Half the children in foster care are boys and 62% are Latino,” Ochoa explains.

“It’s important that these children have role models and mentors that reflect their cultural background,” Ochoa says. “Teenage boys, in particular, need male role models.”

Currently Child Advocates has more than 200 foster children waiting to be matched with a CASA.

No legal experience is necessary — just a willingness to reach out to a child when he/she is feeling most vulnerable. The time commitment is 10-12 hours per month, and volunteers must be 21 years or older to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Individuals interested in becoming a CASA volunteer can visit Child Advocates’ website (www.bemyadvocate.org) to sign up to attend a Volunteer Open House/Orientation session to learn more about the role and requirements of becoming a CASA volunteer in Santa Clara County.

About Child Advocates of Silicon Valley

Child Advocates is the only agency in Santa Clara County that provides Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to foster youth. Find out more at www.BeMyAdvocate.org.

--Image via Morguefile/Info courtesy of Child Advocates of Silicon Valley