From Pittsburg to Nashua, CASA’s new virtual training brings the classroom to your own home

Click to watch a virtual message from this class to children they will work with in the future.

The month of June saw a new milestone at CASA – the successful completion of its first two fully virtual training classes.

Two legal interns and 25 new volunteer advocates from 25 communities across New Hampshire and Vermont were the first to experience the new training that is a mix of “face-to-face” Zoom sessions with breakout groups and assignments in Google classroom.

“The opportunity to be trained virtually is safe and convenient, and I never felt I didn’t glean all the necessary training, discussion, role play, and coaching that is vital to preparing me for this role,” said training graduate Brittney Joyce. “The most surprising part of virtual training was how well our trainers fostered a sense of community among our group – simple asks like keeping our cameras on for the duration of training, putting participants into breakout discussions, and asking us icebreaker questions for the Zoom chat at the beginning of each session helped all participants feel more connected to each other.”

Click to watch a virtual message from this class to children they will work with in the future.

Like it does in the classroom, virtual training is interactive and collaborative and requires large and small group participation. It welcomes guest speakers, facilitates a virtual role play where volunteers can practice the types of conversations they’ll have with the various parties to a case and includes drafting a sample court report.

Going virtual for training has also established the capability to train volunteers from every corner of the state at the same time to be ready to take new cases wherever they come in.

From in-person to online

For 31 years, CASA’s classroom-style training has been its cornerstone for preparing volunteers to provide courtroom advocacy for abused and neglected children. But when the governor issued a stay-at-home order in March, CASA’s training team took quick action not only to convert the final hours of its classroom training in Dover to complete the class online, but to create this fully-immersive virtual pre-service training. This new approach  to safely providing training is critical for the coming months as the need for new volunteer advocates is significant ahead of an anticipated surge in new abuse and neglect cases.

“Within two weeks of the governor issuing his stay-at-home order, reports of abuse and neglected dropped by about 50 percent, not because it isn’t happening, but because it isn’t being seen by people like teachers and daycare providers who are the most common reporters,”  said CASA CEO and President Marty Sink. “We have started to see cases being reported more as the state begins to re-open, but we are expecting a surge of many more in the coming months and we need to have advocates trained and ready to take those cases.”

Training available this summer and fall

CASA is accepting applicants for future virtual training sessions beginning  Aug. 3, Sept. 16, Oct. 19 and Nov. 10. Interested volunteers can submit their applications today, or, join an upcoming virtual information session to learn more about the role CASA volunteer advocates play in the lives of New Hampshire’s abused and neglected children. Virtual info sessions happen every other Tuesday. Register for one here.

___

Please help us welcome Susan A., Alexandra, Jennifer, Steven, Barbara, Brittney, Robert, Pam, Lisa, Carolyn, Ellen, George, Cynthia, Ken, John A., Jean, Veronica, Martha, Paul, Jack, Susan G., Janine, Carol, Stephanie, Karen, John S. and Adam to CASA.

2020 has been the year of notable pre-service trainings. Back in January, we had our largest training class ever with 29 new advocates from Manchester. Shortly after that, our Dover class of 22 began their 40 hours of training. The group, once meeting face-to-face, was disheartened to learn that their classroom style of learning would have to take place virtually for the second half of their training. The friendships they made with one another during class made the transition bittersweet; sad to part ways with one another, but happy to distance themselves to prevent spreading any harm. The group completed training and attended graduation through their screens in the comfort of their own living rooms.

In the training, they are provided an overview of the CASA program, given a brief history of national child protection laws and how they came to be, and receive training on New Hampshire laws. They are provided with information about the social and mental health issues that may be involved in their cases, which can help them understand the different types of homes the children are in. During training, they are introduced to the strong support system that is offered to all advocates: CASA program managers, peer coordinators, support groups and on-going trainings to continue learning and growing as an advocate. Under the current circumstances, their support is all available virtually until it is safe to proceed with life as normal. Our new volunteers are ensured that they will never be alone during their cases, even during difficult times like these.

Now that they have finished their training, these advocates will be assigned their first case. With a growing need for volunteer advocates, these individuals will find that they have an immediate role in New Hampshire’s family court system to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children.

With the stay-at-home order in place, there are fewer mandated reporters around children who may be subject to neglect or abuse. WMUR’s Amy Coveno posted a response video to the recent decrease in reported abuse cases, saying, “keep a special eye on the children of New Hampshire, and their moms and dads, this is a hard time for all of us.” Advocates are needed now more than ever, so we are offering two online training sessions for anyone in New Hampshire who is interested in volunteering. Grab a friend and complete the application together, set up an interview, and join us in protecting New Hampshire’s most vulnerable children.

Curious about becoming an advocate? Join CASA-NH Director of Recruitment Diane Valladares and advocate Lisa Brown for a virtual information session! In the comfort of your own home, we will answer all of your pressing questions or concerns via Zoom. Click here to register for the Tuesday, April 14 or Wednesday, April 15 sessions. Alternatively, if you are ready to become a CASA, click here to start your application.

Thank you to our Dover class for willingly transitioning to an online platform and finishing the required 40-hours of pre-service training.