Advocate Training

CASA volunteers undergo a thorough 30 hour training course prior to accepting a case. Classes are held on Mondays & Wednesdays over a six week period. CASA Lake County offers both a daytime (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) and an evening (6:00 – 9:00 p.m.) training schedule.

Volunteers learn about the juvenile court legal process in training and also through court observation. They learn effective advocacy techniques and are educated about specific issues such as childhood development, trauma, cultural competence, and poverty.

Training incorporates group activities, presentations, guest speakers, video, and hands-on practice to prepare volunteers for their advocate role.

Click here to view the training schedule for this year.

Here’s what CASA Lake County advocates say about the training: 

“The instructor presented the material in a very thoughtful, organized, professional manner, and was very good at interacting with the volunteers.” - Michael

“I think the relaxed atmosphere in the class is very helpful. It allows you to really participate and ask questions.” – Jorie

“I would like to say THANK YOU to our trainer for doing such an awesome job presenting all of the material in an easy to learn format and always taking time to ensure we walked away with the most salient points.  I can't be any prouder being associated with such an outstanding group of people and only hope I can live up to the reputation that CASA has built-- thank you for allowing me to be a part of this!!!” – Bill

“The facilitator did a masterful job of presenting the material in a straightforward, interesting manner, paced the class well, stayed on track, handled the individual idiosyncratic quirks and personalities of the group with finesse and sensitivity and recognized each person’s contributions. I was really impressed with how well this was all dealt with, as my group was not all that easy to manage. The facilitator acknowledged good points, was direct when someone was off track without offending them, and reassured those who were anxious.” – Gail

“The arc of the class worked very well for me. I felt my perspective stretching from the start and enjoyed the camaraderie with my classmates. By week 3 I was starting to wonder if I was comfortable in the training class but would have trouble actually doing the CASA work. Then we had a guest speaker and I suddenly felt an urgency to get out of class and start to work with a child. That made me glad for the practice visit role play and instruction on how to write a court report.” – Susan