We invite you to meet Dwight Osteen, nominated by Lead JIY Advocacy Specialist Mike Quinn and Advocacy Specialist Rosa Hoadley. Dwight joined Child Advocates as a volunteer in July 2024, and he has served on three justice-involved youth cases.

“Dwight is an outstanding Advocate whose dedication shines through in everything he does,” Mike said. “He builds strong, meaningful relationships with the kids he serves and has made a tremendous impact in a short time.”

We asked Dwight to share his experiences as an Advocate for children in our community.

Did you have any reservations about volunteering? How did you overcome those concerns?

I did. I was concerned about the time commitment, emotional exposure, and my capacity to do all the other things that I do and still have time to do a good job with this. But we have time. We are just choosing to watch TV, play on our computers, or pursue hobbies. The reality is that this work is more important than all those other things I could be doing with my free time. I want to invest my time in the future of people.

Explain in your own words the work you do as a volunteer Advocate. Why is it essential for a child?

I act as a mentor and adviser to the teenagers on my cases. These young men are on the cusp of adulthood, and they’re in a difficult spot in life. The brain is not fully developed until someone is 25 years old. And we’re expecting these 15, 16, and 17-year-olds to behave as if they’re ten years older than they are. They haven’t had a good system to grow up in for a number of reasons.

How did you decide to advocate in our program for justice-involved youth?

I witnessed how the juvenile justice system treated youths in another county, and I wanted to do something. When I found out Child Advocates had a Justice-Involved Youth program, this was where I wanted to have an impact because these are the kids who need help, and I can be that helper.

What has surprised you the most about your work as an Advocate?

The willingness of the families to accept me.

What has been the most difficult aspect of volunteering as an Advocate? Most rewarding aspect?

Confidentiality. I like to talk about things, especially with my wife. It’s hard because you care about these kids, and you want the community to know about them. The hard part is knowing how much you can share without breaking confidentiality. The most rewarding part is how close you become to the kids on your cases.

What would you like the community to know about children involved in juvenile justice?

The number one thing is they need your help. They need mentorship and guidance. And their families need support that they either weren’t accepting or receiving from other services. I’ve helped families better communicate with the professionals on their child’s case, and I’ve supported a family as they struggled to understand their child’s needs due to a mental health disorder and trauma.

Do you have a favorite moment of advocacy?

I got a bike from The Bike Guys for one of the teens. When I delivered it, he wanted to show me some bike-riding tricks he knew. He was just a kid who was proud to show off his skills to an adult who cared about him. That moment of joy is going to stick with me forever.

Is there anything else you want to share about Child Advocates?

It’s not just you working by yourself on a case. You have a team with you. You may be the face that the child and family see throughout the month, but you’ve got your Advocacy Specialist and the rest of the Child Advocates staff supporting you.