I have been the Director of Gracie's Choice, a child advocate center, for fifteen years. Our volunteers and employees are responsible for assisting children and families in crisis. Courts commonly appoint child advocates to speak on the behalf of children whose life may be in question, such as in cases of neglect and abuse. Child advocates are either employees or trained volunteers. Volunteer child advocates must take training courses through an advocacy agency. The volunteers will be asking me questions on what this job entails. Each individual wants to gather a better understanding of what he or she must do. I have been assigned volunteers to ask me questions. In addition, I will be answering the most frequently asked questions about being an employee at Gracie's Choice. .
To begin, all the volunteers have asked how I became a director. I first started this job as a volunteer similar to the majority of you sitting here. I often wondered what my days would consist of. I had to go through training just like each of you. I learned how to deal with the worst possible situations that children may go through. For instance, I remember my first case as a volunteer. It was my first week on the job, and I got asked by one of the employees Jane to assist on a case. On the way there, Jane gave me the low down of what to expect when we arrived. There was only one child living at the home and both parents were present at the time. The Child Advocate Center was called frequently about the child being mistreated. We stepped out of the vehicle, breathed in deeply, and proceeded to knock on the door. An eleven-year-old girl came to the door by the name of Gracie. She had a black eye, but what stuck out the most was the scar on her leg. Later we found out the black eye came from her dad punching her because she was watching television, and her mom was drunk one night and pushed her into a window. I will never forget the smile on her face as Jane and I stepped in her home.
