Become an Advocate

Volunteer advocates speak up for children.

Henrico CASA trains volunteers to help our county's most vulnerable children thrive in safe, loving homes. These volunteers are called Court Appointed Special Advocates, aka CASAs, because they are appointed by judges serving in the Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court to speak up for the best interests of children experiencing possible abuse and/or neglect. CASAs build a relationship with the child, gather information, and collaborate with professionals in order to make a recommendation to the court. As our judges often note, these recommendations are vital to making the best decisions possible on behalf of vulnerable children.

CASA volunteers provide "unbiased reporting of the circumstances to assist the court with making a better informed decision."
- Judge, Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court

Meet a few of our volunteer advocates.

a voice of persistence - gayle
A voice for care marcus
A voice of interest - Stuart
A voice of honestly graphic - tracy

Waiting children need YOU to be their voice.

Without an advocate, hundreds of abused and neglected children would not have a strong voice in their corner. Will you join us in our mission to ensure every abused child has a voice?

Volunteers come from all walks of life and a variety of educational and professional backgrounds. No experience is required.

If you would like to become a CASA, please fill out the volunteer application below. Applicants are also required to (1) participate in a virtual information session (links to register below), (2) complete an interview, and (3) undergo fingerprinting, criminal, and child abuse registry checks.

Learn more at a virtual information session!

The first step to becoming a volunteer advocate is to attend a virtual information session:

REGISTER: November 9, 2023 (12pm)

REGISTER: January 9, 2024 (12 pm)

Do the above dates not work for you? You can also click HERE to request access to view a pre-recorded session.

 

Additional details about the advocate role and training are below:

Fall Training 2023

Winter Training 2024

Job Description of the CASA

Henrico CASA: Volunteer Advocate Application