2012 National CASA Conference Call for Presenters

Proposals to present a 90-minute workshop at the 31st Annual National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association Conference were due on Friday, October 21, 2011.

Timeline

Submission Deadline:	Friday, October 21, 2011
Notification Date:	Friday, December 20, 2011
Conference:	June 9 - 12, 2012

Selection Criteria

Presentations are encouraged on all aspects of CASA advocacy, including but not limited to program management, research and development, child advocacy and public policy. Presentations should be 90 minutes in length.

Special consideration will be given to proposals on topics in one of our workshop subject focus areas:  

• Equity, Inclusion and Identity
• Best Advocacy Practices
• Public Policy
• Resource and Capacity Development
• Empowering Volunteers for Quality Advocacy
• Youth Voice

Content of presentations will be reviewed according to the following:

• Clarity of the program’s purpose, description, design and results
• Relationship to building cultural competency
• Session design and methodology
• Balance and diversity of sessions and presentations

Proposals will also be reviewed according to the degree of participant involvement (active learning, skill-building, risk-taking and content-rich discussions) as well as the feasibility of proposed program design within the bounds of available time and resources. An example of a successful proposal is available by request.

Selected presenters receive complimentary conference registration in appreciation for their time.

Conference Theme and Goals

The theme of the 2012 conference is Justice for All Children. In workshops and general sessions, and through networking with colleagues and peers from across the country, conference attendees will gain the skills, knowledge and inspiration necessary to strengthen their efforts to ensure justice for all children and youth in the dependency system.

Attendees of the 2012 National CASA Conference will gain a greater understanding of their role in improving the condition of abused and neglected children and obtain tools to better advocate for permanence and fairness.

Conference Goals:

• Strengthen Volunteer Voices: Build skills and acquire tools that will enhance your ability to speak up for abused and neglected children.
• Develop Inclusive Practices: Expand your knowledge and skills while exploring practices that enable us to better serve all children in our communities as well as continue the journey toward cultural competency.
• Build Leadership Skills: Increase your ability to sustain and expand your CASA/GAL program.
• Renew Your Commitment: Fortify your spirit and resolve to effect change through dialog with peers and presenters.

National CASA Association and Conference Audience

A nonprofit child advocacy organization, the National CASA Association, together with its state and local members, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children so that they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. The National CASA Association comprises a network of 955 CASA and guardian ad litem program offices that recruit, train and supervise over 70,000 volunteer advocates who serve more than 240,000 children nationwide. CASA programs vary in size, structure and setting (rural, urban and tribal).

Approximately 1,400 program staff, state directors, board members, judges, volunteers and other child welfare professionals from across the country will attend the 2012 National CASA Conference. Conference attendees’ levels of experience vary from seasoned veterans to new volunteers and staff members.