CASA Kane County holds first volunteer in-person ceremony in two years

Eleven CASA/GAL (Court Appointed Special Advocates/guardian ad litem) volunteers completed their eight-week training program and were sworn in as CASA/GAL volunteers by Judge Kathryn Karayannis on Sept. 6 at the Geneva courthouse.

This was the first in-person swearing in ceremony since 2020. Ceremonies had been held online for the past two years, according to a news release.

“We are very thankful and honored these volunteers have taken the time to be trained through our eight-week training program,” CASA Kane County Executive Director Jim Di Ciaula said. “Having a 217% increase in cases since the pandemic started, we have a record level of children awaiting a CASA/GAL volunteer. CASA Kane County continues to serve 100% of cases. So we are actively recruiting volunteers on an ongoing basis to be able to continue keeping up with the numbers.”

It is expected that CASA Kane County will serve more than 600 children this year. The average length of each case is one to three years.

According to the release, volunteers come from every background and are ages 21 and older. Volunteers need no previous training.

CASA Kane County will have a fall training program beginning Wednesday, Sept. 28. For information, go to https://casakanecounty.org/volunteer/general-information-meetings/.

According to the release, CASA Kane County is a nonprofit organization that trains and supervises community volunteers to ensure the safety, permanency and best interests for 100% of abused and neglected child cases. Child victims come from every economic and cultural background. CASA Kane County ensures that each foster child is placed in a safe, permanent home and that their needs – ranging from medical care to educational support – are met with urgency.

CASA Kane County is a unique GAL (guardian ad litem program), which means that volunteers are appointed as officers of the court and are significantly relied upon by judges to act in the court case on behalf of a child, according to the release. This greater authority requires volunteer training and organizational standards to be at a heightened level of compliance.