Benefits to Skilled Volunteering

Welcome to Henrico CASA’s new Linked In newsletter: CASA Champions. This is an opportunity for us to highlight the people and practices that allow CASA to champion the wellbeing of children.

Volunteering is often perceived as lending an extra set of hands to a project or organization. While these efforts are essential to many non-profit organizations, for others, more than a mere set of hands is what is most needed. Court Appointed Special Advocates make a difference through skilled volunteering.

What is skilled volunteering?

Skilled volunteers share their professional expertise and knowledge while donating their time. In doing so, they more effectively serve their community and also potentially receive career benefits for themselves. Those benefits include:

1.??????Lasting Impact

When you apply your experience to a mission you care about, you are investing in positive change. The impact you make through skilled volunteering can ripple beyond your immediate involvement, positively affecting the lives of individuals and communities for years to come.

2.??????Unique Opportunity for Growth

As a skilled volunteer, you have the opportunity to enhance your existing skills and develop new ones. You may gain new perspectives by becoming involved in professional fields other than your own. You will also have opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals and expand your professional circle.

3.??????Enhanced Resume

Skilled volunteering adds a valuable dimension to your resume. Employers increasingly value candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.

Your skills are incredibly valuable to nonprofit organizations like Henrico CASA! Our advocates volunteer their time, but more importantly volunteer the skills required to successful advocate for vulnerable children. Those competencies include communication and problem-solving skills. ??

Henrico's Court Appointed Special Advocates are caring community members who paired their own personal and professional experiences with training provided by our staff. After training, they are appointed to serve a child. They become a source of stability and support during a challenging time. They also speak up for the child’s best-interests in the court system and the child welfare system. All the while, they are gaining hands-on experience in the legal and social services fields.

You can also utilize your unique skills to improve the lives of children! Henrico CASA is currently accepting applications for their next advocate training class which will begin this fall. The first step in learning more is to register for our upcoming virtual information session on August 10: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/649081248487

We hope to see online!