Community 4 CASA

I didn't know about CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for children until one of my undergrad classmates at Humboldt State talked about it in class. Since then I have met other CASA's, one of which works at a beauty shop that I go to. CASA's aren't necessarily social workers or social work students, they be anyone from the community that completes the training and is able to show "objectivity, competence and commitment." CASA's work with children who are involved in the court system typically due to abuse or neglect. They spend time with a child, becoming a "special friend." They also submit written reports to the court and collaborate with other volunteers and professionals in the child's life. (I also understand that a CASA could work with children from the same family.) http://www.humboldtcasa.org/

CASA is a great example of a strength-based program that draws on community assets and creates partnerships between community members, families and children. This program is related to wraparound services for children with mental health challenges in that ..."a unique set of community services and natural supports individualized for that child...," however, CASA's services are child-focused, the family is not as included as in true wraparound practice. Not only does CASA put human assets to good use in supporting our community's youth in the legal system (involving abuse or neglect), it also has as a socialization component that is needed. A study by Benson (1999) found that youth across geographic have a need for positive social experiences and interactions which includes relationship-building (qtd. in Scales & Streeter, 2004. 134).

Last weekend, I participated in the 7th Annual Kid Walk as a "solo superhero" and ended up bonding with another walker; we hung out for the rest of the event, forming a spontaneous team.

At the event, I also ran into a lot of people I knew, either for years or a new acquaintance. For example, the weekend before at the Stand-down, I met the local chapter of BACA's (Bikers Against Child Abuse) president, Frank, who is a Vietnam veteran, a Humboldt State alumni and a retired social worker from the child welfare arena. The pic shows Humboldt chapter members serving food at the event. http://www.bacausa.com

The experiences during this day reminded me what an awesome place Humboldt is, beyond the beauty of the redwoods, rivers and beaches. Though we may not have a lot of financial resources here, we do have a lot of assets--most specifically our human capital. We have numerous community events that allow for community involvement and great networking. Overall, I have found that Humboldt County has a volunteering spirit when it comes to the well-being of others, one of the reasons I love to live here!