FACES grant provides local child advocates with volunteer training

The Sussex County Court Appointed Special Advocate Program provided its local volunteers with a comprehensive, full-day training Oct. 29 focused on serving teenagers in foster care. About 25 CASAs, as well as their program coordinators, the state director and the Sussex CASA attorney, were able to attend. CASA volunteers are appointed by Family Court judges to represent the best interests of children in cases of abuse and neglect.

This training session was held at the Hyatt Place in Dewey Beach and was partly paid for with a grant received by the Friends of Sussex CASA from the Carl M. Freeman Foundation FACES program. The grant was used to provide food and beverages throughout the day as well as use of the hotel’s meeting room and dining room, A/V equipment and supplies. The CASA program was able to have two trainers from National CASA fly to Delaware from Seattle, Wash., and Atlanta, Ga.

This training, called Fostering Futures, helped volunteers learn hands-on ways to communicate with teenagers experiencing the foster care system. Through this training, CASAs will now be able to conduct activities with their youths regarding future plans upon exiting care, identifying influential people in the youth’s life, and discussing sensitive topics.

The Sussex County CASA Program is grateful to the Carl M. Freeman Foundation for awarding the Friends of Sussex Program with such a generous grant.