CASA searches for more male role models for young victims of abuse and neglect
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Pikes Peak Region held an event in hopes of encouraging men in the community to volunteer and help young boys who have entered the family court system and the child welfare system because of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
Tuesday, the agency put on its "Dudes and Brews" recruitment event at The Ivywild School in Colorado Springs.
Men who RSVP'd were given a free beer and more information on CASA and what it means to be a volunteer.
"Our volunteers, they spend about three to 5 hours a week, and they are assigned to one case at a time that could either be a single child or a sibling group. And what they do is they get to know the child," Keri Kahn, communications manager at CASA of Pikes Peak Region said.
CASA says volunteers gather information through these visits, write court reports, and even attend court proceedings with a chance to speak on behalf of the child.
"And so what it does is it gives the judge a full picture of what is going on in a child's life because judges and attorneys and the caseworkers from the Department of Human Services, they have dozens of cases coming across their desks every day" Kahn added.
CASA of Pikes Peak Region has about 250 volunteer advocates, however, only 23% of them are men. With 50% of children in the program being boys, CASA says it would like to close that gap and get more positive and constant male volunteers.
KRDO spoke with Mike McAdams, who has been a volunteer for over ten years.
"A man can provide the support that any advocate does to any family, any child of any gender, but they can also provide that additional role model of here's what a safe, strong man can be and can provide in the way of support to the to the boys," McAdams said.
CASA not only provides volunteer advocates for children, but they also have programs that provide clothing, toiletries, and school supplies to the kids they serve.
"If we can break that cycle, then that child has a better chance to grow up to be a responsible, healthy, safe, happy adult," McAdams added.
To learn more about CASA, click here.
