Responsibilities & Services

The Volunteer Services Bureau oversees and provides administrative support of Juvenile Court's volunteer program. In 2006, approximately 800 individuals and organizations through Memphis and Shelby County donated over 100,000 hours of volunteer service and other contributions to assist children and families referred to Juvenile Court through a variety of programs.

Juvenile Court owes much of its effectiveness in the community to the priceless service of the many volunteers who have contributed in so many ways throughout the years. Their continued service and dedication is greatly appreciated and indispensable.

Becoming a Volunteer

Before being accepted as a volunteer, all applicants must:

1. Undergo a National Criminal Information Center criminal background check, sex offender registry check, and vulnerable persons registry check
2. Have their fingerprints taken and registered with local, state, and national law enforcement

Volunteers with Juvenile Court provide a great financial resource to the court. Hours of volunteer service save the court approximately $800,000 each year in personnel cost. Volunteers do not receive any pay for their services; they care about the children and the court.

If you would like to be a volunteer, complete and submit a Court Volunteer Application.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities with the Shelby County Juvenile Court system include:

• Auxiliary Probation Service (APS) program volunteers
• Bilingual volunteers to serve as interpreter in court proceedings and conferences
• Greater Opportunities for Additional Learning (GOAL) program volunteers
• Commission on Missing and Exploited Children (COMEC) volunteers
• Court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteers
• Chaplaincy volunteers, which allow different church groups weekend visits to minister to the detainees
• Special services auxiliary volunteers, which provide volunteers to stand in for the parent when a child has a court appearance and no other adult is available