My EDGE Project Overview

For my project, I participated in the Court-Appointed Special Advocate program already established in Iron County. This program is a resource for children and families that are experiencing a rough time. The families involved are dealing with some sort of court case and the children may or may not, depending on the point in the process, be in the foster care system. My role was to get a sense of the child involved and assist the Guardian ad Litem in getting a sense of what is in the child’s best interest regarding their future. My volunteering took place in Iron County with children who are from Iron County. I was planning to have my project completed within 18 months from the time I was appointed a child because that is the amount of time that a case is open with a specific child. This project stood out to me as something I might be interested in because of the potential influence it has on a child and their future but also the fun things around the community that I had the opportunity to be involved in. The way this program works is having the CASA volunteer show the child a positive influence in their life by doing things that have a positive impact. Most of these children don’t know how to be children or experience age-appropriate activities. I helped them experience that and see how it can impact their futures. We went to the library and read books, went on hikes, and attended the various activities and events throughout the community.