Our Multicultural Advocacy (MAP) Program
HISTORY
CASA DC began serving the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) population in January 2015. Since then, CASA DC’s Multicultural Advocacy Program (MAP) has served over 75 youth.
The mission of MAP is to match unaccompanied refugee minors, immigrant-origin youth, and children from culturally diverse backgrounds with a supportive and culturally responsive CASA volunteer who can address their cultural, economic, academic, health & wellness, and life skills related needs to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency in the United States. MAP strives to match youth with a CASA volunteer that shares an identity, speaks the youth’s native language, and/or has strong cultural competency skills.
YOUTH SERVED
MAP serves a diverse group of youth, including Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM), migrant youth born outside the United States, and first and second-generation immigrants. The program also supports foster care youth from multicultural families, as well as those whose primary or secondary language is a language other than English. Additionally, MAP assists foster care youth who have parents whose primary language is a language other than English.
​
MAP has served youth from Rwanda, Eritrea, Somalia, Guinea, Mexico, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras, and more. Youth are often native Spanish and French speakers.​
PROGRAM GOALS
The MAP provides youth with one-on-one mentorship, support in adjusting to United States culture, and assistance in obtaining a high school diploma, GED, or vocational training. The program also offers college admission and scholarship support, prepares youth for independence by age 21, and helps develop English language skills. Additionally, MAP connects youth to ethnic and religious communities and assists with navigating D.C
PROGRAM IMPACT
In FY2024, 83% of youth reported having a cultural identity, while 87% had a support system in the U.S. and were aware of how and where to engage in cultural activities. Additionally, 87% of youth were connected to cultural communities, and 84% were aware of their rights. MAP also helped 87% of youth develop long-term plans for their lives in the United States.
ADVOCATE PREREQUISITES
In addition to the robust, nationally recognized 30 hour CASA pre-service training, a MAP training program was launched in 2025. MAP CASA volunteers are required to complete an asynchronous 10-hour MAP training program within 60 days of being appointed to a case. The MAP training program prepares CASA volunteers on cultural diversity, trauma informed care, immigration terminology, cultural responsiveness, specific country knowledge, and both the strengths and adverse challenges facing MAP’s target populations.
MAP CASAs are acutely educated on immigration terminology that include: SIJS, Asylum, Green Cards, and Citizenship.