This training is designed for those who have successfully completed the Fostering Futures training and will be facilitating/co-facilitating training for local CASA programs.

** Successful completion requires attendance at both April 24 and April 25 sessions. **

This training is designed for those who have successfully completed the Fostering Futures training and will be facilitating/co-facilitating training for local CASA programs.

** Successful completion requires attendance at both April 24 and April 25 sessions. **

For Michigan CASA Staff only *

This intensive 3-part series presented by Betsy McFarland, CVA, is designed to provide participants with practical tools and strategies to help CASA staff recruit and retain committed and caring volunteers.

January 16 Part 1: Understanding Modern Volunteerism and Changing Expectations

February 20 POSTPONED

March 19 Part 2: Innovative Strategies for Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

April 23 Part 3: Implementing Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Homework will be assigned between sessions to support participants in building their own volunteer recruitment plans. Betsy will offer “office hours” between where participants can meet for additional guidance.

Betsy McFarland, CVA is a strategist and problem-solver who has forged a unique professional niche focused on developing leaders, staff and volunteers committed to tackling challenging societal issues.

Betsy is particularly passionate about maximizing the impact of volunteers by helping leaders align volunteer engagement efforts with their mission. She specializes in assessing volunteer involvement organization-wide and developing strategies, building infrastructure, and providing training to ensure efficient and effective achievement of organizational goals.

Betsy is a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) and author of Volunteer Management for Animal Care Organizations. She published research on staff-volunteer relationships and worked with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to develop a research-supported Volunteer Program Assessment that serves nonprofit volunteer programs across the U.S. and Canada. She co-directs the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement, a joint effort of funders and nonprofits to elevate and expand investments in volunteer engagement.

Presented by Mary Finedore, the goal of this training is to explore and expand the depth and context of the case study presented in Chapter 7 on LGBTQ+ youth. Relevant statistics will be used as guiding points for the broader context of the importance of LGBTQ+ advocacy and the case study will be analyzed in great depth, focusing on the very subtle and not to subtle nuances of the case that often go unaddressed and thereby leave important opportunities for advocacy untapped. This training will be an interactive deep dive into how to teach this section with updated facts, context, prompting and engaging questions and room for any other concerns folks may have regarding LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Mary is a CASA and a rising third year medical student at MSU-CHM. She is dedicated to working with underserved/under-resourced populations and has a specific dedication to children and adolescents in the foster care/welfare system. Mary has worked as a health advocate and coach, an LGBTQ+ youth group facilitator and leader, an LGBTQ+ healthcare trainer for Planned Parenthood and the Illinois Department of Health, a student educator at MSU-CHM on LGBTQ+ healthcare topics, and is an LGBTQ+ trainer with CASA of Kent County, helping to train new CASA volunteers on ways to best advocate for LGBTQ+ youth in the foster system.

** For Michigan CASA Staff and Volunteers

It is important for our safety and well-being that we pay attention and are aware of our surroundings while at home, at work, and in the community. Situational Awareness is being aware of your surroundings and any potential hazards or threats. The more prepared and aware of possible hazards or threats, the better we can protect ourselves. This talk will provide tips on what you can do before, during and after traveling to unfamiliar places and meeting with individuals for the first time.

James Fannon, of Special Investigations Group will present real-life scenarios (submitted by you) and how we can learn to increase our awareness and ability to act and ultimately improve our safety.

Jim is the owner, founder and CEO of Special Investigations Group & SIG Tactical. With a background of more than 30 years in the investigation and security fields, James began his career in the U.S. Army. After his military service, James worked as a law enforcement officer where he conducted numerous investigations ranging from civil infractions to homicides as a patrol officer, general case, auto theft, major case team and vice/undercover detective. After his law enforcement career, James began his investigative work in the civilian arena.

** For Michigan CASA Staff and Volunteers

For Michigan CASA Staff only *

This intensive 3-part series presented by Betsy McFarland, CVA, is designed to provide participants with practical tools and strategies to help CASA staff recruit and retain committed and caring volunteers.

January 16 Part 1: Understanding Modern Volunteerism and Changing Expectations

February 20 POSTPONED

March 19 Part 2: Innovative Strategies for Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

April 23 Part 3: Implementing Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Homework will be assigned between sessions to support participants in building their own volunteer recruitment plans. Betsy will offer “office hours” between where participants can meet for additional guidance.

Betsy McFarland, CVA is a strategist and problem-solver who has forged a unique professional niche focused on developing leaders, staff and volunteers committed to tackling challenging societal issues.

Betsy is particularly passionate about maximizing the impact of volunteers by helping leaders align volunteer engagement efforts with their mission. She specializes in assessing volunteer involvement organization-wide and developing strategies, building infrastructure, and providing training to ensure efficient and effective achievement of organizational goals.

Betsy is a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) and author of Volunteer Management for Animal Care Organizations. She published research on staff-volunteer relationships and worked with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to develop a research-supported Volunteer Program Assessment that serves nonprofit volunteer programs across the U.S. and Canada. She co-directs the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement, a joint effort of funders and nonprofits to elevate and expand investments in volunteer engagement.

CASA’s Fostering Futures program is designed to improve outcomes for older and emancipating youth (14-21 years of age) served by CASA/GAL volunteers.

The training will be held on February 27, 28 and 29 from 9am until 12pm via zoom.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Engage with older youth in an effective way
• Guide youth through the possible selves model
• Identify legislation that supports older youth
• Identify resources that can assist older youth
• Explain the benefit of youth attending hearings

** Participants must have completed the Pre-Service Training and agrees to attend the full three day training.

CASA’s Fostering Futures program is designed to improve outcomes for older and emancipating youth (14-21 years of age) served by CASA/GAL volunteers.

The training will be held on February 27, 28 and 29 from 9am until 12pm via zoom.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Engage with older youth in an effective way
• Guide youth through the possible selves model
• Identify legislation that supports older youth
• Identify resources that can assist older youth
• Explain the benefit of youth attending hearings

** Participants must have completed the Pre-Service Training and agrees to attend the full three day training.

CASA’s Fostering Futures program is designed to improve outcomes for older and emancipating youth (14-21 years of age) served by CASA/GAL volunteers.

The training will be held on February 27, 28 and 29 from 9am until 12pm via zoom.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Engage with older youth in an effective way
• Guide youth through the possible selves model
• Identify legislation that supports older youth
• Identify resources that can assist older youth
• Explain the benefit of youth attending hearings

** Participants must have completed the Pre-Service Training and agrees to attend the full three day training.

For Michigan CASA Staff only *

This intensive 3-part series presented by Betsy McFarland, CVA, is designed to provide participants with practical tools and strategies to help CASA staff recruit and retain committed and caring volunteers.

January 16 Part 1: Understanding Modern Volunteerism and Changing Expectations

February 20 Part 2: Innovative Strategies for Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

March 19 Part 3: Implementing Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Homework will be assigned between sessions to support participants in building their own volunteer recruitment plans. Betsy will offer “office hours” between where participants can meet for additional guidance.

Betsy McFarland, CVA is a strategist and problem-solver who has forged a unique professional niche focused on developing leaders, staff and volunteers committed to tackling challenging societal issues.

Betsy is particularly passionate about maximizing the impact of volunteers by helping leaders align volunteer engagement efforts with their mission. She specializes in assessing volunteer involvement organization-wide and developing strategies, building infrastructure, and providing training to ensure efficient and effective achievement of organizational goals.

Betsy is a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) and author of Volunteer Management for Animal Care Organizations. She published research on staff-volunteer relationships and worked with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to develop a research-supported Volunteer Program Assessment that serves nonprofit volunteer programs across the U.S. and Canada. She co-directs the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement, a joint effort of funders and nonprofits to elevate and expand investments in volunteer engagement.

For Michigan CASA Staff only *

This intensive 3-part series presented by Betsy McFarland, CVA, is designed to provide participants with practical tools and strategies to help CASA staff recruit and retain committed and caring volunteers.

January 16 Part 1: Understanding Modern Volunteerism and Changing Expectations

February 20 Part 2: Innovative Strategies for Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

March 19 Part 3: Implementing Effective Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Homework will be assigned between sessions to support participants in building their own volunteer recruitment plans. Betsy will offer “office hours” between where participants can meet for additional guidance.

Betsy McFarland, CVA is a strategist and problem-solver who has forged a unique professional niche focused on developing leaders, staff and volunteers committed to tackling challenging societal issues.

Betsy is particularly passionate about maximizing the impact of volunteers by helping leaders align volunteer engagement efforts with their mission. She specializes in assessing volunteer involvement organization-wide and developing strategies, building infrastructure, and providing training to ensure efficient and effective achievement of organizational goals.

Betsy is a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) and author of Volunteer Management for Animal Care Organizations. She published research on staff-volunteer relationships and worked with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to develop a research-supported Volunteer Program Assessment that serves nonprofit volunteer programs across the U.S. and Canada. She co-directs the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement, a joint effort of funders and nonprofits to elevate and expand investments in volunteer engagement.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Michigan CASA is pleased to announce our 36th Annual Conference! This is our premier learning event for local programs, volunteers, board members and community partners in child welfare to be immersed in learning and networking. This year's conference will be held virtually on Friday, November 5th.

The conference will be dynamic and interactive with four Keynote speakers:

Kelly Wickham Hurst, Riki Wilchins, Dr. Donna Beegle,and Elia Moreno

Register Here: https://www.michigancasa.org/new-page-3

Please contact our office with any questions 616.259.7200