Job Description

Organization

The Legal Aid Society was begun in the early 1960’s as a volunteer organization and created by attorneys who were members of the Orange County Bar Association. The volunteer attorneys agreed to take referrals in civil and criminal cases for local residents who could not afford an attorney. In 1967, the organization was formally incorporated in Florida as a not for profit under the name of Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc. It hired its first director and full time staff and offered free civil legal services. Currently, Legal Aid employs about 45 staff including 18 attorneys and coordinates the contributions of time and money from over 3000 volunteers both attorneys and non-attorneys.

Legal Aid remains a local program with core support from volunteers whose dedication enables it to provide civil legal services primarily in Orange County. Legal Aid is especially proud of its Pro Bono Programs, and one of those programs, the Guardian ad Litem Program.

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Assisting attorney's within Guardians ad Litem in representing the best interests of abused, neglected, or abandoned children.

VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM

We’d love to have you on our team. I’d like to thank you for your interest in helping abused and neglected children involved in the dependency system in Orange County, Florida.

In Orlando, the Legal Aid Society administers the Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Program. While only attorneys can serve as a GAL, there are many in our community who are not attorneys; however, volunteer their time to help abused, neglected and abandoned children. For these individuals, we are pleased to offer our Volunteer Advocates for Children (VAC) Program. This program is designed to train, certify and supervise non-attorneys to serve as support to our pro bono GALs and Staff Attorneys, by visiting children and reporting on their placement, services needed, and well-being.

To qualify for our VAC program, you must be at least 18 years of age, be in good health and of moral character. The time commitment that is required during that year is based on the amount of time you have available in conjunction with the GAL and/or child’s needs. The position requires you to visit with the child once per month (in person or virtually) and submit a written report of the child’s status. This is an excellent opportunity for those who want to get hands on experience in social work and/or law.

If you or someone you know would like to make a difference in the lives of children as a lay volunteer with the GAL Program, please contact Kamia Taylor, VAC Coordinator, via email at ktaylor@legalaidocba.org . As well, visit our website at, legalaidocba.org for more information.

We can’t do it without you!

This is a volunteer opportunity provided by VolunteerMatch, in partnership with LinkedIn for Good.

Job Tags

Full time, Local area,

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