RICHMOND, Va. — Nearly three years ago, TJ Dupree decided to dedicate his retirement to helping children in Richmond who were abused or neglected.
He chose to volunteer with the CASA program under Greater Richmond SCAN and become a voice for children with cases moving through the Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts system.
“I have volunteered in a lot of different things and a lot of different ways. CASA is, for me, a very powerful way to see your impact and to make a difference over an extended period of time with children. It just kind of just rang a bell for me,” Dupree said.
CASA, which stands for court-appointed special advocate, ensures children don’t face the courts and foster care system alone.
The volunteers spend time with the child and speak to relatives, service providers, teachers and social workers to gather information that will help them make recommendations to the court.
Volunteer coordinator Pilar Ortiz-Waters said advocates are often the only consistent adult in a child's life.
Currently, there are 65 volunteers serving 93 children between Richmond and Petersburg. However, there are 131 children on a waiting list because there aren’t enough advocates to meet the demand.
“What concerns me the most is that the possibility of a child starting and ending and not having been matched with a volunteer. I think that that would be a disservice to not have a child's voice be heard,” Ortiz-Waters said.
Volunteers first undergo 35 hours of training over month and commit about 10 to 15 hours per month to their cases with help from a case worker.
An advocate doesn’t need legal experience but must be a good listener and have the desire to help a child in need.
“These kids have a lot of challenges, and they've got a long road ahead of them. Being able to see them move forward and knowing that you were at least a small part of it is a really, really positive thing for people,” Dupree said.
Greater Richmond SCAN are hoping for a full training class this September.
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