Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem Vicinage Seeking Volunteers for Guardianship Monitoring

The Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem Vicinage is seeking volunteers for its Guardianship Monitoring Program, a statewide system that monitors guardians appointed to handle the affairs of incapacitated individuals.

Volunteers are needed to help verify that guardians comply with reporting requirements and to ensure that the affairs of incapacitated adults under court-authorized guardianships are being handled properly and in their best interest. 

Volunteers may work flexible hours from home using their personal computers. Responsibilities include reviewing documents from guardians about the physical and/or financial well-being of the adult deemed incapacitated by the court. 

Volunteers must be comfortable using computers and should have some experience or interest in reading and understanding legal or financial documents. Individuals who can detect pertinent details of filings and integrate these into the court software, and those with a background or experience in accounting, budgeting, finance, or other related areas are encouraged to apply. Detailed training is provided. 

Guardianship monitoring volunteers must be at least 18 years old and must agree to comply with the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Volunteers. They are asked to commit to serve for at least one year for approximately 10 hours per month. Candidates will be interviewed for details about their experience and background. Selected candidates will be fingerprinted and must pass a criminal history background check. 

The primary goal of the court's volunteer program is to strengthen the court-community partnership and to enhance the public's confidence in the court system through direct participation of community members.

Court volunteers are:
•    Systematically screened to safeguard the integrity of the court.
•    Appointed by a judge for a term of one to three years.
•    Trained through court orientation and program-specific instruction.
•    Supported by a designated program coordinator within the court.
•    Offered diverse, relevant continuing education opportunities to support their ongoing volunteer experience and personal growth.

Interested candidates can access the volunteer application at www.njcourts.gov/public/overview-volunteer-services and selecting the county for which they are interested in volunteering. 

For more information about these programs and the application process, contact the vicinage volunteer liaison at 856-878-5050, ext. 15158 or Vic15Volunteer.mailbox@njcourts.gov.