IMPORTANT UPDATE
The COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impact on our community — including the children we serve, our volunteers, and our staff — is of great concern to us at Voices for Children. As the situation continues to develop, please check back here for updates regarding Advocate University in both counties.
San Diego County: The current Advocate University training has been cancelled. The class participating in this training has been notified and will be rescheduled into a future training.
Riverside County: As a precaution, Advocate University will now be offered in an online format for Riverside County.
Voices for Children's training program, Advocate University, comprises 35 hours of classroom and online training and includes the following topics:
Introduction to Voices for Children
Child Development
Court Report Writing
Working with Biological Parents
Educational Advocacy
Relationship Building
Early Intervention Training
Policies and Procedures
Child Welfare Services
Dependency Law
Courtroom Procedures/Court Files
Diversity
Advocating for Transitional Age Youth
Advocating for LGBTQ Youth
Domestic Violence
Substance Abuse
Training concludes with a graduation ceremony at which the volunteers are sworn in as officers of the Court by a Juvenile Dependency Court judge. There is a nominal fee for Advocate University, which can be waived if needed.
How to Apply
To be eligible for training, you must first attend one of our Volunteer Information Sessions and complete and submit our CASA Application for San Diego County or Riverside County. You must also interview with a Voices for Children staff member. Please keep in mind that there are application deadlines for each training session. Note: You must attend Advocate University in the county where you would like to volunteer.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
IMPORTANT UPDATE: The current Advocate University training has been cancelled. The class participating in this training has been notified and will be rescheduled into a future training. We will be evaluating future trainings as the Coronavirus / COVID-19 situation continues to develop.
Advocate University is held in Kearny Mesa. Below are the dates for our upcoming in-classroom trainings. All classes for each training session are mandatory. Please note that interviews must be completed by the interview deadline to be considered for each training.
April-May 2020 (Evenings)
April 28, 30, May 6, 7, 12, 14, 19 (5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Graduation: June 10, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Interview Deadline: April 16, 2020
June 2020 (Saturdays)
June 2, 6, 13, 20 (8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
Graduation: July 15, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Interview Deadline: May 20, 2020
July-August 2020 (Evenings)
July 21, 23, 28, 30, August 4, 6, 11 (5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Graduation: August 27, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Interview Deadline: July 8, 2020
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to the Coronavirus / COVID-19 situation, Advocate University will now be offered in an online format for Riverside County as a precaution.
Advocate University is held in various locations throughout the County. Below are the dates for our upcoming in-classroom trainings. All classes for each training session are mandatory.
April 2020 Training Online (Evenings)
April 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.)
May 2020 Training in Murrieta (Evening and Saturdays)
May 7 (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) and 9, 16, 23 (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)
May 27. June 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.)
Our Thanks
Advocate University is funded, in part, by the generosity of Cox Communications, the Parker Foundation, the Leichtag Foundation, the Price Family Charitable Fund, the Galinson Family Foundation, an anonymous donor at the Jewish Community Foundation, and the Judicial Council of California. We are deeply thankful for their contributions.
