La Salle County CASA swears in 3 new volunteers

La Salle County Court Appointed Special Advocates announced the swearing in of three new volunteers Beth Findley-Smith, Jen Ebner and Jennifer Snow.

The ceremony took place at the La Salle County Courthouse and was presided over by the 13th Judicial District Honorable Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan.

“This commitment from members of our community gives more court involved children of abuse and neglect the voice they deserve,” said Chris Engelman, marketing and recruitment specialist at CASA. “CASA’s mission is to train and support dedicated community volunteers who serve to protect these children’s right to a safe and permanent home.”

Volunteers do not need special experience or skills to advocate, but rather the desire to advocate for the best interests of children.

The newly sworn-in volunteers completed CASA’s 30-hour preservice training, led by Illinois CASA Director of Training Karen Lehmkuhl and La Salle County CASA Advocacy Coordinator Celeste Nielsen. As advocacy coordinator, Celeste Nielsen will provide ongoing training and support.

With the increase of abuse and neglect cases entering the La Salle County court system, volunteers are needed more than ever. La Salle County Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers work one case at a time so many volunteers are needed to cover the number of active in La Salle County. As of this writing, there are 195 youth in care in La Salle County.

La Salle county CASA’s 30-hour pre-service training syllabus is five modules exploring common situations encountered in the field while weaving in practical applications. Themes include taking good case notes, using perspectives of resources versus deficits, identifying family strengths and weaknesses, attachment and separation consequences, communications basics, the key elements of a court report and more.

Becoming a CASA volunteer is a meaningful way to bring hope to the most vulnerable children in La Salle County. La Salle County CASA facilitates the 30-hour pre-service training quarterly with the next class to begin in April 2025. This is a blended-flex training which includes self-study coursework and five in-person training sessions with one orientation where coursework materials are provided.

For information on becoming a volunteer CASA, visit https://lasallecountycasa.org/ or email iam4thchild2@yahoo.com. A valid driver’s license is required and all volunteers must pass a background check prior to service. La Salle County CASA provides all of the materials, training and support needed for the role.