CASA of San Mateo County

1. CASA of San Mateo County Diversity Presentation Embracing Our Community Program and Male Recruitment

2. EMBRACING OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAM

3. Need • African American and Latino children are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system: • enter foster care at higher rates, • experience multiple moves among foster homes • stay in care longer, • are less likely to return to their families or to be adopted and have a permanent family.

4. Need • Research reveals that these children and their families are regularly treated differently than non-minority counterparts with regard to: • the quality of and number of services they receive, • support by foster parents, • contact with social workers and access to mental health and drug treatment.

5. Evidence • Studies demonstrate that there are no statistically significant differences in abuse and neglect rates between African American, Latino and Caucasian families.

6. Purpose/Theory of Change • Increasing the inclusion of under-represented adult communities in our volunteer pool will significantly improve our capacity to provide culturally sensitive services to foster children.

7. Purpose/Theory of Change • By giving voice to under-represented adult communities in the child welfare system, the court and system will have a better cultural understanding of the families. The adults will be more welcomed liaisons between the court and the communities. • Addresses Board’s Diversification and Inclusion Policy Goals

8. San Mateo County Statistics * 2010 US Census ** 2014 Calendar Year *** October 31, 2015

9. Program Overview • Developed in 2008 to respond to serious concerns about outcomes for African American and, to a lesser extent, Latino foster children. • Focused on improving the quality of life, health, and well-being of African American and Latino children in foster care.

10. Enhancements to Recruitment and Training • Outreach activities held in the community- faith-based communities, social and civic groups, businesses, and professional organizations. • Orientations (in Spanish) held at churches originally, now held in CASA’s Office. • Applications are often completed at initial contact or during first interview.

11. Enhancements to Recruitment and Training Cont. • Spanish Trainings originally held in the community, now held in CASA’s office. • Community Leaders recruited to facilitate introductions in faith based communities, social and civic groups, businesses, and professional organizations.

12. Outcomes • Latino CASA Volunteers: • Over 300 have attended orientations, • Nine Spanish Trainings held to date, • 89 Trainees attended Spanish Training, • 74 chose to attend English Training • 163 Total Prospective Latino CASA Volunteers attended training. • African American CASA Volunteers • 17 completed training and are assigned to children.

13. Challenges • Latino Community • Nearly 50% of potential volunteers who attend an Orientation are undocumented, • Significant effort is required to translate the curriculum (and updates), training materials, application packets, recruitment materials, website etc., • Locating qualified bilingual presenters can be difficult and time consuming.

14. Challenges • African American Community: • Small population in San Mateo County, • Initial outreach to churches unsuccessful, • More resistance to the fact that staff does not reflect the community.

15. Successes • Positively changed our office atmosphere and culture, • Strengthened relationships with Spanish- speaking providers (social workers, therapists, etc.) and African American professional organizations,

16. Successes Cont. • CASA volunteers are better received by children and families since they too come from that community, • New CASA Volunteers have become ambassadors in their communities, • Social Workers and Probation Officers request Latino CASA Volunteers.

17. Successes Cont. • Strengthened our relationships in the Latino communities with businesses, social and civic groups and professional organizations: • Increased financial support • Awareness of opportunities/activities for children/youth • CASA Volunteers: • 2008: 1% Spanish speaking • 2015: 20% Spanish speaking

18. Lessons Learned • Develop and nurture relationships, • Clergy • Community Organizations (AAHAC) • Be patient, • Recognize you may have to change your way of doing business (flexibility is key) • Orientations and Training in the Community, at least initially • Smaller classes • Adding Networking/Speakers/Continuing Education Activities in Spanish to keep current CASA Volunteers engaged

19. Lessons Learned Cont. • You will not need to compromise program expectations or requirements • Many interested parties are undocumented but must be able to complete screenings • Training classes in Spanish are smaller than those in English – 9-11 trainees vs. 25 trainees on average, but bilingual volunteers attend trainings in English as well • Strengthened our relationships in the nonprofit world/with collaborators that benefit our CASA children – My New Red Shoes

20. MALE RECRUITMENT

21. Need • Many foster children and youth lack consistent caring male role models. • General recruitment efforts have not yielded high male volunteer numbers: • In 2008, 17% of CASA Volunteers were male • In 2015, 18% of CASA volunteers are male • We know that men do volunteer in their communities. How do we reach them?

22. Social Media Example

25. Enhancements to Recruitment • Identified and emulated CASA programs in the country with strong male recruitment efforts: • Other CASA programs willing to share and collaborate, • Created our own male focused recruitment material, • Identified most successful recruitment channels for reaching men, • Engaged current male volunteers to help with recruitment efforts and goals.

26. Challenges • Need to create materials with motivating and effective messaging: • Overcoming stereotypes, • Use of appropriate images, • CASA Quarterback Club: • Has been highly successful in Richland County, South Carolina, • Our CASA Volunteers were not interested in football theme, • However, one event did yield several new male volunteers.