Course Description


This course will help you gain an understanding on how to utilize basic communicating and interviewing skills in your work as a Volunteer Child Advocate. 

Covered in this course is information about the basic types of communication, the elements of effective communication, as well as good listening skills. 

What you learn will help you develop a strategy on how to prepare for your child visits and engage in effective conversations with the child, family members and professionals involved with the case.


You are not expected to complete the course in one sitting.  It is recommend you complete one chapter at a time, allowing at least 30 minutes per chapter.  

NOTE:  For Guardian ad Litem Staff and Volunteers, the Optima training topic for this 1.5 hour course is "Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities".

This material has been exclusively designed for I am for the child Academy.

Training Specialists

Statewide Guardian ad Litem Training Team

For any questions on this material please contact us at [email protected] . Thank you!

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Chapter 5 - Section 1

    • Effective Communication & Interviewing Skills

  • 2

    Chapter 5 - Section 2

    • Advocacy in Action

  • 3

    Chapter 5 - Section 3

    • Quiz

    • Chapter Wrap-Up

Reviews

5 star rating

Very helpful!

Helen Kennedy

The video was an excellent complement to instructional teaching.

The video was an excellent complement to instructional teaching.

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5 star rating

Interviewing Skills

Cynthia Rickerd

I liked the video, good interview vs. bad interview. Information provided as to open ended questions was good as well , as to what to look for i.e. atmosphe...

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I liked the video, good interview vs. bad interview. Information provided as to open ended questions was good as well , as to what to look for i.e. atmosphere. Confidentiality portion..informative.

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5 star rating

Effective Communicatin and interviewing skills

Sarah Maier

5 star rating

Alan Abramowitz

5 star rating

Informative information!

Alisha Garcia

I have been employed with the program for a little over a year now. This lesson was very informative on how to conduct monthly visitations expectations from ...

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I have been employed with the program for a little over a year now. This lesson was very informative on how to conduct monthly visitations expectations from the Program and provides skills to help form a bond with the child. This lesson gave me some new ideas on how to "break the ice" with a child and it even gives it according to age group, which was great!

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5 star rating

Chapter 5 Effective communication

Jack Ganzel

Especially enjoyed the video of the 2 different GAL's. Showing how it can be easy to get responses from the children and actually fit in with the household a...

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Especially enjoyed the video of the 2 different GAL's. Showing how it can be easy to get responses from the children and actually fit in with the household also the explaining of closed or open ended questions

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4 star rating

Appropriate

Diana Simmons

Good examples, thought-provoking to reflect on all types of communication. Age appropriate child interviewing very helpful, as are the attachments.

Good examples, thought-provoking to reflect on all types of communication. Age appropriate child interviewing very helpful, as are the attachments.

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4 star rating

effective Communication and Interviewing Skills

Wendy Smith

Kept my attention. Simple enough for most listeners to understand but not too simplistic.

Kept my attention. Simple enough for most listeners to understand but not too simplistic.

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0 star rating

effective comunication and interviewing skills

leanne foster

the short film was very well put together. it showed the correct and incorrect way to approach a visit.

the short film was very well put together. it showed the correct and incorrect way to approach a visit.

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