Giving a voice to those who need it – Jagwire

The Georgia Department of Social Services reports that there are over 11,000 children in foster care. Many have little say in their lives, which is where the Child Enrichment and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs come into play.

Through the CASA program, volunteers serve as a “voice” for children in the Central Savanna River area who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Rebecca Berger is the Director of Testing and Disability Services at Augusta University. She recently completed her training and was sworn in as a CASA for children in foster care.

Service and volunteering in the community have always been important to Berger. When she came to Augusta University about two years ago, she was looking for the right time and opportunity to get more involved. After hearing about the program at one of AU’s Take Back the Night events, Berger completed the intensive training inside and outside the classroom and is now able to work with a coordinator who oversees the cases she is assigned.

The program assigns foster children to Berger and she acts as their advocate until they leave the system. They care deeply about each child and help find the best fit for them.

“We will examine every aspect of the child’s life,” Berger said. “We will interview the child and have many conversations with them to get their understanding, their perspective and their feelings about the situation. We will also interview other people who are closely connected to the child. I really think about the child and their situation as much as I can because then I go to work and testify as an advocate from their perspective on behalf of the child.”

She added that it’s important to “speak up for those who don’t have a voice” and support those who are finding their voice. This is one reason she values ​​working with college students with disabilities, as they are at a stage in life where they are learning to advocate for themselves. She considers it a privilege to help students discover their voice and use it in their own unique way.

Berger also believes it is critical to invest in our future by advocating for the needs and rights of children who have no voice.

“What a difference it will make to me to stand in court and speak on behalf of a child who otherwise would not have been listened to or whose story would be told by adults who may have different motives and may not necessarily know the whole picture,” Berger said.

Susan Atterton, DBA, a business administration specialist in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at AU’s Medical College of Georgia, has also been a CASA volunteer for about a year. Atterton said the position is extremely rewarding.

“It is such a joy to spend time with the children I care for and see them change and grow,” Atterton said. “Knowing that I can spend time with them and help change their lives for a better future motivates me to check in and advocate for them so often.”

She knows firsthand how much a full-time job and being a CASA can take a toll. While some of the training they do is aimed at just that, Atterton is aware that you have to take care of yourself and that’s the advice she would give Berger.

“Keep a clear head as much as possible and pay attention to your own well-being. We do this because we care about the well-being of others, but we put ourselves last. It’s important to remember that we are of no use to the children we care for if we don’t also take some time to look after ourselves,” Atterton said.

Although Berger has just become a CASA, she is not looking for praise, she just wants to help the children who need it.

“I’m a person who does one thing, and this is just one piece of the puzzle,” Berger said. “It’s an important piece of the puzzle and I’m honored to have the responsibility, but I don’t want it to look like I’m doing something great.”