Voices for Children - Riverside County CASA Application Form

Voices for Children CASA Volunteer Application for Riverside County
Important: Before You Begin
- The application will take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete. There is an option to Save and Continue Later if needed.
- If the application times out due to inactivity and you have not selected to Save and Continue Later, you will need to start over.
- Do not use the back button on your web browser. If you need to return to the previous page, use the "Previous" button at the bottom of the page.
- Tip: We suggest formulating your answers in a Word document and then copying and pasting the information into your application. You can find the application topics and questions below.
The information on this form will help us assess your eligibility to serve as a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for Voices for Children, Riverside County’s designated CASA organization. All information provided to Voices for Children is confidential and for internal use only.

Instructions:
1. Please read the directions carefully and complete all sections of the application thoroughly.
2. Have your education, work, and volunteer history handy. You will also have the option to upload a PDF of your résumé.
3. We recommend preparing answers to the open-ended questions in advance to avoid losing your progress:
  - Why are you interested in volunteering with Voices for Children?
  - How do you hope to benefit from this volunteer experience?
  - Describe any experiences you have had involving people of races and classes different from your own.
  - Please describe any work or volunteer experience with foster children and/or their families.
  - Please describe any additional training or special skills you may have acquired through employment, volunteer service, or life experience.
  - Autobiography: Please tell us about yourself in 100-500 words, in the first person, including information about your childhood and your current family situation.
4. If you have lived outside of California in the past seven years, you will be asked to provide as much information as possible regarding your previous addresses and dates of residency. By the first day of training, we will need complete physical addresses in order to perform the proper background checks. (Tip: you can obtain your addresses from your credit report.)
Thank you for taking the time to complete your CASA application! We look forward to receiving it. If you have any questions, please contact us at rcvolunteer@speakupnow.org.

Your Information
Legal First Name*
Middle Initial*
If you do not have a middle name, please enter "N/A."
Legal Last Name*
Maiden/Former Name
First Last
Preferred Name/Nickname/AKA
Pronouns
Date of Birth*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Are you currently over the age of 21?*
- Yes
- No
Home Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Home Phone*
Work Phone
Cell Phone
Preferred Phone Number*
Email*
Emergency Contact Name*
Include the name of someone we can contact on your behalf in case of an emergency.
Emergency Contact Phone Number*
Include the phone number of someone we can contact on your behalf in case of an emergency. This should NOT be your own phone number.
Emergency Contact Relationship*
Include the Emergency Contact's relationship to you.
Volunteer Information Session
Please attend an Information Session before scheduling an interview.
I have attended an information session.*
- Yes
- No
I plan to attend an information session on:

Short Answer Questions
Please answer the following questions as completely as you can.
Why are you interested in volunteering with Voices for Children?*
How do you hope to benefit from this volunteer experience?*
Describe any experiences you have had involving cultures different from your own.*
How did you hear about Voices for Children?*

Personal Background
Tell us about yourself, in the first person, including information about your childhood and your current family situation.*
(You will have an opportunity to provide a résumé in the next step.)

Education
I have earned a high school diploma/GED/certificate of completion.*
- Yes
- No
For highest level of education completed, please state name of school/college/university and any credentials earned (e.g., diploma, degree, certificate), if applicable.*
Are you a current undergrad student?*
- Yes
- No
Please provide name of school and expected graduation date. Please also share any post-graduation plans to relocate outside Riverside County.
Are you a current or prospective graduate/law student?*
- Yes
- No
Please provide name of school, program, and expected graduation date. Please also share any internship/field practicum plans or experience, as well as any plans to relocate outside Riverside County.
Work Experience
Please provide a plain-text résumé or upload a PDF file. Alternatively, please list all places worked in the last 10 years. Include organization names and locations, as well as your title for each and dates worked. If you have no work history (you've never been employed), please enter "N/A."
Current Employment*
Past Employment / Plain-text Résumé*
Upload a PDF Résumé
Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 50 MB.
Please describe any work or volunteer experience with children in foster care and/or their families.*
If you know any children currently in foster care or anyone who currently works or volunteers with foster children, please list their names, your relationship to them, and, if applicable, in what capacity they interact with children in foster care.*
Please describe any additional training or special skills you may have acquired through employment, volunteer service, or life experience.
Please list any languages other than English in which you are fluent (including ASL).

Activities and Interests
Please list any community service organizations or clubs to which you currently belong.*
Please list any community service organizations or clubs to which you have belonged in the past but with which you are not currently involved.*
Please list any hobbies or special interests you have.*
Please check all that apply.
- I have strong writing skills.
- I am comfortable speaking in public.
- I have plans in the next two years that might interfere with my ability to volunteer.
Please list any details you would like to share about the statements above.
Time Availability
What is your typical schedule Monday through Friday at this time? Please include if you are working from home; supporting kids with distance learning; or have any other regular commitments during your week.*
Please describe how flexible your daytime schedule is. Consider whether you're able to adjust your hours and how easy it would be to do so; how much notice you'd need to get time away from daytime commitments or work, if applicable; and, generally, how long you are able to be away from your place of employment, etc. during standard business hours (9-5).*
Please share any concerns or time constraints you may have.*
Driving
The children we serve live throughout Riverside County. It is not unusual for them to move frequently and/or with little notice. All CASAs are expected to be willing and able to drive at least once per month to visit their case child(ren) wherever they are placed.
As a CASA, you may need to drive one hour or more for your monthly visits with your assigned youth, particularly if you are assigned to a child who lives in a remote area of Riverside County or to a sibling group where the children have been placed in different homes. While we understand it is probably not your preference to drive more than one hour, would you be willing to drive one hour or more, once per month, to visit your assigned youth?
- Yes
- No
Please share any concerns or driving limitations you may have.*

Sign and Certify
I certify that the information provided by me in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and I agree to have any of my statements verified by Voices for Children unless I have indicated to the contrary. I certify that I understand that volunteer placement is a selection process and that not all applicants are accepted into the program. I understand that volunteers are selected based on individual ability to meet the responsibilities of the CASA Program. I also understand that because of the confidential nature of the screening process, Voices for Children is not obligated to disclose to me reasons for any decision concerning my acceptance or non-acceptance into the program. Furthermore, I understand that Voices for Children has to consider the best interests of the children first when matching them with CASAs. Thus, I understand that the agency is not obligated to assign to me a child and that submission of this application in no way obligates me to perform volunteer services.
*
- I agree to and accept the terms and conditions above.
Your name

Riverside County CASA Application Form

Step 1 of 8

Voices for Children CASA Volunteer Application for Riverside County

Important: Before You Begin

Instructions:

Your Information

Volunteer Information Session

Short Answer Questions

Personal Background

Education

Work Experience

Activities and Interests

Time Availability

Driving

Disclosures

Sign and Certify