I joined CASA last year because I wanted to contribute to the community and I wanted a meaningful experience. I also wanted to learn something completely different. Going into “lockdown” the month after completing training was very unexpected; I had no idea how I would meet my responsibilities once I was assigned to my first case.
The next surprise came when I was assigned an infant instead of an older child. Up to that point, I imagined myself talking with a child old enough to converse, monitoring educational progress, and working with the team to ensure his or her viewpoint was heard. However, over the course of the last year, things have worked out pretty well. It’s been wonderful to see the aforementioned infant grow into a happy toddler racing about. The team has been accepting of my role and asked for my input, which feels like I’m making that contribution that led me to CASA in the first place.
This is my first long-term volunteer commitment but definitely will not be my last. CASA has shown me how using my spare time to benefit others is just as rewarding as I hoped.
