CASA
Advocates Serving JJS Youth
Court Appointed Special Advocates
(CASA) of the First Judicial District (FJD) have been recruited, screened,
trained, supported and supervised by the CASA staff since 1995, serving
thousands of foster youth in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos Counties. Branching out to provide mentors/advocates for youth involved in the
Juvenile Justice System in Santa Fe County is a natural extension of the
regular CASA program, and one that has been considered for several years.
CASA FJD has worked with the Children’s Court, JPO and Santa
Fe Regional Juvenile Justice Board staff to develop protocols for the referral,
placement and mentoring of juvenile clients.
CASA FJD has an extensive Resource Library and database,
available to our volunteers, containing information on community service
providers; videos, books and workshop materials on subjects related to our
work; and audio tapes. We will continue to add to these resources in
order to better connect the adjudicated youth and their families with a larger
circle of support in our community.
CASA JJS mentor volunteers are CASA volunteers with a
special commitment to working with youth in the Juvenile Justice system.
They receive additional training to prepare them for their role.
The mentor volunteer’s role is not to replace a parent or
caregiver, but to provide an interested and compassionate friend who can give
and yet expect nothing in return. These mentors/volunteers live in the same
communities as the youth they serve, enjoy youth and have a passion for
advocating for their success, and are responsible, committed and
consistent. They establish a relationship based on shared responsibility
and respect, providing outlets for new opportunities and challenges, and
inspiring youth to achieve goals and dreams.
Mentors/volunteers are willing to invest in a youth’s life
by consistently spending time with her/him, making themselves available by
phone, email and text.and committing to at least one year of mentoring.
They attend court hearings and file monthly progress reports; and they are
compassionate, understanding and prepared to move forward to assist youth with
whatever the court may decide. They are prepared for setbacks if youth
reoffend. It is a challenging and rewarding experience to be a CASA JJS
volunteer!