It was a special day when I found out about Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). I was in the psychology department’s office looking at volunteer opportunities when an office assistant began to chat with me. She mentioned CASA of San Bernardino County and its mission to help children in foster care. I was instantly intrigued and excited about the idea and decided to volunteer with them.
As a CASA volunteer, I have the great opportunity to work one-on-one with wards of the court. In no way do I supplant Social Workers or other professionals on the child’s team, but I do add an in-depth personal view of the child involved and keeping communication going between all the people working with the child. This is to make sure that the child is receiving all the help he needs and nothing falls through the cracks while they are in the foster care system.
I am currently helping to mentor a teenage boy named Antonio* who currently is transitioning out of the foster care system. He is an 18 year old Hispanic male who is finishing up with his high school diploma. He has aspirations to become a Social Worker to share his experiences and mentor children who are in his same situation. When I first met Antonio, he was depressed and wary of any type of social workers. I learned that he has been in and out of foster homes and he had endured sexual, emotional, verbal and physical abuse by many people throughout his life. Consequently, he was very wary and defensive of everyone.
Antonio had a dog named Bear. This dog was given to him by a close brother who is now deceased. This tragic circumstance made Antonio extremely close to the dog. The problem was that his current placement was moving to a new home that did not accept dogs; which led to great despair for the boy. He felt that the dog was the only reminder he had of his beloved brother and giving him away was the same as betraying his brothers’ memory.
We then began to talk about the dog and what was best for Bear. I helped Antonio realize that sometimes letting go of those you love is the best gift you can give them. After you can no longer care for them, if you truly love them, then you will find a way to make sure that they find another place to receive the care that they need. I made calls to everyone that I knew, ultimately finding a family friend who would accept the dog. Antonio believed that he would need to put his dog in a shelter but I helped him see that dedication and hope can overcome any obstacles.
Antonio was overjoyed. In the end I realized that this dog was also a reflection of Antonio. He didn’t want to abandon the dog, because he felt abandoned. He was scared of leaving his dog with strangers because of the abuse he had endured in his life. He didn’t want Bear to move house to house because that was how he lived. By talking to him and helping him to realize these things, Antonio was able to let go of some of his pain and begin to love himself. He is now almost done with school and is planning on going to college. He is going to study Psychology or social work to help others like him. I am confident that no matter what happens, Antonio will succeed.
*Name has been changed for privacy reasons
Saturday, 21 January 2012 02:02
