It's Volunteer Appreciation Week! We appreciate our volunteers this week and every week for all they do to advocate for the vulnerable children of our community. To celebrate, we are highlighting a group of volunteers and are starting with CASA Nikinsha Harrison!
What made you decide to become a CASA? I became a Casa because when I was a CPS caseworker, I had several Casa volunteers help me with my cases and they all were outstanding. They became apart of my team and accountability partnership. Casa made my cases easier to manage and encourage me to be the best caseworker I could be, even when I was overwhelmed with caseloads.
What has been the most rewarding part of being a CASA? The most rewarding part of being a Casa is the impacted my teenage kiddos has made on me. She has taught me a large amount about myself, especially in the area of patience’s and compassion. She is a resilient young lady that has endure a large amount in her life, but she has not given up and I am so proud of her because everyday is a day she can make better decisions.
Please share a special moment with us about your advocacy work with your CASA kid or on your case. A special moment I will always cherish are those hard uncomfortable conversations I have with my teenage kiddo and how she reflects and remembers those conversations and make efforts towards changing her life. That makes me smile and warms my heart because she is thinking, listening and making efforts to change her mindset and lifestyle.
What is your favorite way to connect with your CASA kids during this time of virtual advocacy? My teenage kiddo is in a special situation, so phone calls are vital and valuable. I look forward to the calls, mature conversations and growth on both ends of the relationship. We like to talk about moving forward and setting prosper goals for the future. We make plans as a guide to keep us on track.
Why do you think having a CASA volunteer during quarantine is important for foster children? A CASA volunteer during the quarantine is vital for the well being both physical and mental for the foster kiddos. We are their consistent support system, their home away from home, and their security blanket. Casa volunteers make the kiddos feel loved, cared for and not forgotten. They play a major influence in their kiddos life that will altar and leave a long-lasting affect in the kiddo’s life.