1-2-3 Contact!

Stay Connected to CASA of Franklin County!

We have moved quickly toward many suggestions from the focus groups regarding technology! Most participants wanted us to use technology to keep us connected and we are actively working toward that goal.

In the summer we launched a new website,  http://www.casacolumbus.org/.  Please take a look at the website if you have not done so already. It has excellent resources for current volunteers including case forms, monthly update forms, court reports and contact logs. Many in the focus groups asked for links to other resources, and the website houses links to various community resources including local and national child advocacy organizations. There are also links to training resources from State and National CASA.

National CASA has also released a brand new website which is an excellent resource for volunteers. The address is http://www.casaforchildren.org/ .  Also be sure to check out the Ohio CASA website, http://www.ohiocasa.org/. Please check back on these sites periodically, as our web presence grows, the sites will continue to improve and become even more useful.

Because of the amazing response from our focus groups regarding online communicating and social media , we have developed this blog, and have enhanced our facebook fan page. Check out our facebook page! We have increased the frequency of updating and the amount of content regarding announcements, current volunteer training classes, and pictures and videos. We hope that facebook continues to be a resource to foster online networking among our volunteers and supporters.

Be sure to check us out on youtube as well, here on our You Tube channel.

Please be aware that we are developing an Online Communications and Social Media Policy for CASA of Franklin County staff and volunteers. This policy will guide our activities on the web, and will help volunteers and staff talk about their involvement with CASA of Franklin County in a transparent and professional manner.

CASA of Franklin County additionally has plans for adding a secure discussion board that will allow volunteers to post and comment with each other, but several things needs to take shape before this happens. Because all of this take time, we did want to take advantage of this blog as a way to share all of the information from the focus sessions and as a type of e-newsletter.

In the future we also hope to post the new monthly update forms and annual evaluations forms directly on our website, for increase access for volunteers. You will continue to be able to fill these forms out and mail or e-mail them to our office.

We will also have exciting information in the new year regarding exciting and new online donation activities and opportunities for all supporters of CASA.

We hope to provide more of what you are looking for in the not too distant future and we appreciate your patience and input!

Stay Connected!

CASA of Franklin County wants volunteers to feel appreciated, to stay engaged and to have the ability to give us feedback. We asked the focus groups how we can work together to accomplish these goals.

Activities

Many people wanted to have more social opportunities, such as a book club, bowling club or monthly dinners out for our volunteers. Another great suggestion during the holiday time is Caroling for CASA of Franklin County! Volunteer-sponsored activities are a great way for volunteer GALs to get together and show their support of our work and mission. If you would like to organize these events, please just give us a call. We can provide you with any CASA of Franklin County materials you may want. Be creative!

In a future post we will discuss ways we are planning in using technology to keep us all connected!

Relationships
Another topic that stimulated a lot of discussion was the relationships between volunteers and staff attorneys. We know that this relationship works best when viewed as a partnership. Staff attorneys should be your first resource for questions, bouncing ideas off of each other, and a great place just to vent about your case! Staff Attorneys are also available to meet with you before court hearings in the morning. We have an open door policy and would love to have you stop by our offices!

Because we are all individuals and work in an imperfect system, we recognize that people have different personalities and some people may be easier to work with than others. Some volunteers like a ‘strictly business’ relationship with their staff attorney and some prefer a more casual relationship. These differences are expected when working with over 200 volunteers in the nature of the work we do. Thankfully, volunteers at the focus groups noted that almost universally they are comfortable going to their assigned staff attorney with any issues.

We at CASA of Franklin County know that staff turnover or other inconsistencies can be a challenge, especially when working on a long term case. That is why we have created a Staff Attorney protocol and a Volunteer Handbook. These policies help keep staff attorney and volunteer expectations universal and consistent. We want you to know that you are valued and want to make sure the relationship with each staff attorney is respectful and positive.

Communication is key to any good relationship and we are open to suggestions for improving our channels and/or methods of communication in any way that we can.

Feedback

Feedback is an integral part of being involved at CASA of Franklin County. There are many ways to gather feedback and we have used surveys, evaluations and even informal methods, such as emails and conferences.

We ask all volunteers to complete a five question case closing summary form. Each of these completed forms are reviewed and any feedback provided, good or bad, is addressed. We also conduct an annual survey that goes to our constituencies in the community and to all volunteers. This information is complied and evaluated. And, most recently, we conducted the Volunteer Focus Groups which created a lot of great opinions and direction for future policy and procedures. We look forward to greater participation in all of these things. As stated above, we have an open door policy at CASA of Franklin County. If something is great or even not-so-great- we want to know about it!

As you are aware we are working on streamlining our annual volunteer evaluation system. Look for more information to come in January!

Monthly Updates, Court Reports, and Contact Logs, Oh My!

Documentation remains one of the most difficult, yet most important procedures for every CASA/GAL. As you know, we operate within an organization and a court system that requires constant documentation. National CASA standards and Ohio Rules of Superintendence, along with local court rules and CASA of Franklin County policies all require different information. We also collect relevant data for some of our grants. This makes our monthly updates and court reports feel overwhelming at times.

The focus group participants asked for a chance to revamp these forms and we agree! We are in the process of collecting volunteers for a Task Force to tackle the Monthly Update forms. We will meet in early December to discuss changes and delegate responsibilities. If you are interested please contact Anne.

GAL court reports are in a state of flux in Franklin County. The good news is that, for the time being, its business as usual for all CASA volunteers! Rule 48 requires some changes, and the local court will soon give direction on what they will expect in these new Rule 48 reports. As discussed in the focus groups, currently staff attorneys submit a Rule 48 report based on the volunteer’s Court Report. With all of the changes, we are waiting to train everyone on new Court Reports once the local courts sort it all out.

Volunteers are still required to submit their Court Reports 10 days before the next hearing. Keep in mind also, that the 10 days before a hearing are sometimes critical and unpredictable. You are able to orally supplement the report in the court room, so be sure to stay informed on your case right up until the court date!

Training and Collaboration!

If you know of a great organization that is available to train volunteers, please let Julie know! We are always looking to provide useful training for our volunteers. Some focus group participants were also interested in cross-training with Franklin County Children’s Services and other agencies. We think this is a good idea and are looking into the possibility. As you all know, we work within an imperfect system, and collaborating with other social agencies will serve to strengthen the level of services for all children.

Parking downtown is a pain! This was a common message heard at the focus groups, and we understand. Especially in the coming winter months, please plan on arriving at the courthouse for 9am hearings very early to find a spot in the garages. Both county garages are usually full by 8:30 on winter mornings. You are welcome to come up to our office, relax and have some coffee before your hearing. We do have a limited amount of parking tokens for the county garages only, so please ask for tokens when you come into the CASA office prior to or immediately following a court hearing. Tokens or parking reimbursements are not available for in-service trainings. With that in mind, when possible, we try to schedule in-service trainings off-site or after 6:00p.m., when meters are free. If you have connections with an appropriate place for trainings, please let us know.



Victims of Crime Applications and VINE Assistance Pamphlets

We heard from the focus groups that some of the paperwork we present to families regarding the Victim’s of Crime Act confuses them. We understand that it requires some extra explanations to families, but it is mandatory for us to present the material because of grant requirements. Please contact Marilyn directly if you have more questions about how to present this information.

Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer.

The first question we asked of Focus Group participants concentrated on what things volunteers and other members of the community could do to be involved with CASA. The answers from the Focus Groups were thoughtful and creative! We summarized our discussion into five main areas.

In the office:

We love when volunteers come and help out in the office! Whether it's stuffing envelopes for a large mailing, or handwriting thank-yous following the Breakfast, your help is greatly appreciated! Please let the CASA office know if you, or someone you know, would like to help out!

Training/Mentoring of other CASA/GALs:
Volunteers already help out in our pre-service training, and we would love to have more volunteers facilitate trainings throughout the year. If you have a great idea or wish to collaborate with another organization to offer CASA/GAL training opportunities, please tell Director of Volunteers, Julie Carper.

Mentoring came up a lot in our focus groups. After much discussion, we found that informal mentoring is a good fit for our program. We hope that Staff Attorneys are your first resource for questions, and you feel like a partner with your Staff Attorney. There is nothing you cannot ask your Staff Attorney! While the Franklin County Juvenile Court is not in favor of GAL teaming-up for home visits or court appearances, we recognize that you may want another volunteer to answer your questions and to be a sounding board. We are working on gathering a list of experienced volunteers who are interested in providing such a service.

Most volunteers were in agreement- they want more group social events! Some volunteers want to gather and discuss common issues, or host a book club. These are all possibilities! If you would like to host an event, please let our office know. A book club is a very popular idea, which would also help you earn continuing education credit- for reading and discussing the book! Do note, that because of the confidential and sensitive nature of our work, one of our staff members or a trained volunteer will need to be present for group discussion of any case issues.

Financial:
At the Focus Groups, some questions arose about our fundraising and if volunteers can do more. The answer is YES!

CASA of Franklin County follows the Benevon model of fundraising. This model implements a mission-based system for raising sustainable funding from individual donors. Our annual fundraiser is the Speak Up For Children Breakfast held in October.

The Benevon model places importance on relationships and connections among individuals who support our mission, by encouraging them to link others to the organization. This can be done through individual projects and fundraisers, and CASA of Franklin County would be the benefactor. In the past, one volunteer organized a golf outing and donated the proceeds to CASA. Another person gave a donation to CASA in lieu of favors at her wedding reception. People have been very creative!

At the Focus Groups, people mentioned community organizations and other groups they thought would be able to donate to CASA. This is a great way to make connections in the community! We are part of two workplace giving campaigns. CASA is one of 57 member organizations of Community Shares of Mid-Ohio. We are also an approved agency for the United Way of Central Ohio’s Contributor Choice Program for the 2009 campaign year. So yes, you can organize fundraising events for us. Contact Jeff Redfield, Director of Development, with your ideas and please spread the word!

Website & Technology:

If you have not recently, please check out our website http://www.casacolumbus.org/. It had a major overhaul this summer and has a lot of useful information for volunteers under the Current Volunteers tab on the left of the front page. We have organized useful links to forms and community resources that may be of interest to CASA/GALs.

Volunteers at the focus groups also mentioned the need for a CASA calendar, and our website now has one! It is the last link on the left of the front page. It lists trainings, in-service opportunities and other important information. The website will be continually updated , and we look forward to creating a useful resource for our volunteers.

Community Outreach/Recruitment:
A final point of discussion was community events and outreach programs. Currently, CASA of Franklin County has a Speaker's Bureau and coordinates many community outreach activities, including a monthly community tour and a Diversity Advisory Team.

We love it when volunteers take the initiative and tell people about our organization and our mission! If you would like to be trained for our Speaker's Bureau, or have an idea about community groups you think would welcome information about us, please contact Jason Hillyer, our Director of Outreach.

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.

I hope this post finds you enjoying autumn, with its beautiful changing colors and cooler temperatures. This season CASA of Franklin County is also experiencing changes, as a consequence of the results we gathered via the September volunteer focus groups. This valuable time allowed volunteers to share experiences, offer insight into ways we can improve, and discuss how new policies will take shape.

The six focus groups provided all of our volunteers an opportunity to learn and collaborate on five areas:
 volunteer roles,
 policy and procedures,
 volunteer engagement,
 technology,
 and the new evaluation and documentation process.
As a result, we are shaping policy and procedures to include many of the creative and helpful suggestions from the volunteers who attended.

One of the major themes of the focus groups was an interest in the ability to connect with our office and each other through the use of technology. In light of that, we have created this CASA of Franklin County blog, open to all volunteers to post, read and comment. We will have a series of blog posts over the next two months that summarize the results of the focus groups, organized into each of the five focus areas listed above. We will highlight the suggestions and ideas, and what we are doing as a staff to incorporate these changes into policy.

We hope this blog will be both a resource and an opportunity for feedback and discussion. In the future, we will be looking for volunteer generated content and posts. Because of the sensitive nature of our work, all posts and comments will be moderated.

Another theme that emerged was an interest in modifying the current Monthly Update and Contact Log forms. We will be looking for interested volunteers for a Report Task Force to create improved documentation forms. If you would be interested in participating, please contact Anne Konarski.

At CASA of Franklin County we continue to work to further our capacity to fulfill our mission and thank you to all volunteers for the continued work you do to give a child a voice in court. I want to extend special gratitude to all the focus group participants. As you will see in the coming months, your insight and suggestions are helping shape policy and procedure at CASA of Franklin County.

First Post

Welcome to the blog of CASA of Franklin County!