Why should you start volunteering?

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and offers many health benefits. It intertwines the psychological, emotional, and physical aspects of your well-being. Several studies have shown that those who engage in volunteering experience reduced stress, enhanced mental clarity, and decreased depression. Studies also show people who devote their time to volunteering experience lower blood pressure resulting in a longer lifespan. This can be a result of increased physical activity for those who are not highly active otherwise or simply a reduction in stress levels. The relationship between providing a service that involves doing good for others in your community can in return be incredibly good for you and your well-being.  

 Becoming a volunteer is crucial to providing a sense of purpose in the area you find most meaningful, which can increase self-esteem. Volunteering can also increase your quality of life by helping expand your social interactions and build friendships with others who share the same interests as you.    

Volunteering with CASA

CASA volunteers advocate for abused and neglected children in the court system. They stay with a child throughout the life of a case, working to ensure the best possible outcome for that child.  When you decide to volunteer with CASA and are accepted into the program, you will undergo thorough training and will be supported by professional staff. As a CASA, you are the most consistent adult for the child.  

Our program would not be able to exist without our advocates.  

Benefits of Becoming a CASA

There are typically six benefits to becoming a volunteer with CASA:

          You become part of the solution for a broken child welfare system.

  • Department of Child Services Caseworkers often have many cases at a time that they manage. As a volunteer, you can focus on one case, becoming a constant, trusted figure in the child’s life.  You become their voice in court, ensuring that they don’t fall through the cracks.

    You make a difference and provide support in a child’s life. 
  • Volunteers identify the needs of not only the child but of the entire family. By determining the needs of a child and advocating for their best interest, you are creating a long-term positive impact on the child’s life. You connect with members of the community. 
  • The volunteer training and events are a fantastic way to get involved with other like-minded members in your community who have similar interests as you and are also passionate about advocating for children. You can gain knowledge of the child welfare system and what it is like going to court. 
  • As a volunteer, you can see how the legal system works as you are a part of continuous communication with the Department of Child Services and the entire court system.You gain a deeper understanding of the intersection of child development, trauma, and mental health. 
  • Through training and interacting with multiple aspects and professionals of your case, you learn the effects of trauma on children and their young minds and how to be a part of the healing process.You can learn how to work well with a team and how to advocate.

    As a CASA volunteer, you work with foster parents, families, DCS, the court, etc. to figure out the best solution possible for the child which helps you gain a sense of teamwork while also helping you gain insight on how to use your voice and advocate for others.  

If you’re interested in becoming a CASA volunteer, visit the “Volunteer” tab of our website, or call 812-333-2272 to speak with a member of our staff. You can change a child’s story. Become a CASA volunteer!

 Written by: Tess Green

 

Sources:  

Angela Thoreson, L.I.C.S.W. “3 Health Benefits of Volunteering.” Mayo Clinic Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System, 1 Aug. 2023, www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/3-health-benefits-of-volunteering#:~:text=Research%20has%20found%20that%20volunteering,for%20people%2065%20and%20older. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023. 

“Mission, Vision and Values.” National CASA/GAL Association for Children, 23 Feb. 2023, nationalcasagal.org/our-work/mission-vision-and-values/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023. 

“Top 5 Benefits of Volunteering with Casa.” CASA of Travis County, www.casatravis.org/top_5_benefits_of_volunteering_with_casa. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023. 

“Volunteering May Be Good for Body and Mind.” Harvard Health, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/volunteering-may-be-good-for-body-and-mind-201306266428. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.