Volunteer Advocate

Training

Once a community member makes the decision to become a Voices for Children volunteer advocate, he/she undergoes a screening process. Upon acceptance to Voices for Children, the volunteer is required to attend a 30 hour training program. Training classes are assembled four times a year where volunteer advocates spend two days a week for five weeks learning how the “system” works – the juvenile court, child welfare agencies – and gain an understanding of the Voices for Children volunteer advocate role within the system. After training, our volunteers are not experts in every area, but instead are prepared to identify issues in all areas, and then follow up with appropriate, relevant questions. Please refer to our Training Calendar for upcoming classes.

The classroom is only one part of the training program. Our volunteer advocates are also required to participate in 3 courtroom observations. Courtroom observation solidifies the knowledge gained in the classroom and makes the volunteer more comfortable in an unfamiliar setting. Courtroom observation also allows the volunteer to see the role that he/she will play in court proceeding once they are assigned to their own case.

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