Our free training will prepare you to be a child advocate. It will help you understand your role as a volunteer GAL, and prepare you to make a difference for a child.
The GAL training is based on the National CASA guidelines. 30 hours of training are required to become a volunteer Guardian ad Litem. The training is very interactive, with many group and individual activities. There are ten class sessions of 3 hours each, two 3 hour Court Observations, and reading in preparation for class time. Actual case studies are used to teach the principles involved.
You will learn how to talk to abused children, and build a bond of trust and rapport with a child. You will learn appropriate ways to interact with children, while still maintaining your role as an advocate.
Many people worry that they will become too involved with the children, but an important part of our training is to teach appropriate boundaries when interacting with families and children.
You will also study the Family Court system, the Department of Social Services, and the problems that affect children and families and lead to abuse and neglect.