CASA VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE FOR FOSTER
YOUTH ONE CHILD AT A TIME
By Jeannie Howard
With the various actors involved in the foster care system
all tirelessly working to ensure foster children are being
cared for, often times the voice of the child can become
muted. However, Court Appointed Special Advocates,
CASA, across the nation have the unique duty of being
the personal advocate for foster youth. “That is first and
foremost the role of a CASA volunteer; being an advocate
for the youth,” said Allison Tabor, CASA of Contra Costa
volunteer. “Managing all of the different opinions you hear,
all wanting different things, you have to make the youth’s
voice louder and those other voices softer.”
After seeing a neighbor post about being a CASA
volunteer, Tabor said she was intrigued and asked for more
information. “The idea of helping foster youth without
taking on the responsibility of actually being a foster parent
just sounded very appealing,” she said. “I have a young man
who is twenty now, he’ll be in the system until he is 21,
and I have been with him since he was 15.” During her five
years as a CASA volunteer, Tabor has been an advocate for
the same youth. CASA of Contra Costa prefers volunteers
to work with one youth at a time which allows them to be
focused on the needs of that one child.
During their years together, Tabor has been able to offer
her youth experiences he may have never had if not for
CASA. “I have been able to introduce him to a lot of things,
such as cultural events and even just going to the Warf in
San Francisco—so many things that we take for granted,”
she described. She has also played a key role in advising
him on his higher education choice after he graduated from
high school. For Tabor though, her reward is just seeing him
succeed in his progress into adulthood. “I know he’s going
to get this leg up with his life with my involvement,” she
said.
According to Tabor, a typical CASA volunteer will spend
time with their youth at least once a week and stay in
touch as often as they like. Volunteers do need to be flexible
though because “you sign up to help the kid in whatever
way that means,” she said. “If the youth needs something
special that is what you are there for.” For Tabor, she saw
her role as not just an advocate but also a mentor—in many
ways like an aunt. “I consider my CASA youth to be like
my nephew,” she described. “So, what would I do with
my nephew? How would I treat him?” To be an effective
advocate, according to Tabor, a CASA volunteer cannot just
see their youth once a month or once a year. “It is all about
consistency,” she said. “If there is one thing I provide for
him it is consistently showing up for him. He knows that he
can count on me.” This consistency is critically important
54 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM FEBRUARY 2018
for foster youth
who often have
never had such
dependable
consistency in
their lives.
The inception
of CASA
has had a
tremendously
positive effect
on the lives
of so many
foster youths,
according to
Tabor. “The
success rates
for these kids
are seen on so
many levels.”
Tabor points to
the testimonies
of many judges
involved in these
cases talking
about how foster
youth who
have had the
advocacy of a
CASA volunteer not only have higher rates of high school
graduation but also are far less likely to become juvenile
delinquents. “There is a huge impact that CASA makes
on so many levels and foster kids that don’t have a CASA
volunteer really are not afforded the same opportunities as
the ones that do,” she described.
With nearly 1,000 kids coming through the Contra Cost
foster system annually and only 133 CASA volunteers, the
program is in need of community members to step up to
help be advocates for the foster kids not currently being
served. “CASA’s mission is that every foster youth in the
system has a CASA volunteer,” said Tabor. The program is
actively working to increase the number of volunteers to
400 volunteers by 2021. Through increased outreach on
social media and in-person through community organization
such as religious groups, CASA of Contra Costa believes
they will be able to achieve their goals.
“It’s not about waiting until all the stars align and for
everything to be perfect. I have a very busy career but I
One of the many experiences Tabor has been able to
give to Matthew was a thrilling day watching monster
trucks. Those wanting to help CASA can also donate
tickets to event foster youth would enjoy.