“At Youth Advocacy Center, our commitment is twofold: first, we help teens in foster care build a better future for themselves, and second, we try to change the system to better meet the needs of teens in care. We combine both policy and practice (programming) because the interplay between the two aspects is essential to creating meaningful change. We see the need to have programs that are relevant and appealing to students and, at the same time, support the goal of successful independence for teens leaving foster care. This link between the practical and theoretical is critical for creating effective policies work and for designing programming that goes beyond the common expectations held within and outside the system.” -Beyond the Foster Care System p. xix
ADvocacy Beginning with the publication of Beyond the Foster Care System: The Future for Teens, Youth Advocacy Center is conducting a public education and advocacy campaign with the goal that every teen in care will learn the self-advocacy skills necessary to become a successful, participating citizen. But as a small organization, we can’t do this alone. You can support our efforts by: 1. Reading Beyond the Foster Care System and speaking to others about the role those beyond the system can play in creating a better future for teens. 2. Writing to your local elected officials asking that they support making the GBS Self-Advocacy Seminar available to all teens who need it. 3. Passing Beyond the Foster Care System on to others who may be interested in learning more about the incredible potential and determination of young adults in care. 4. Convincing your corporation to donate copies of Beyond the Foster Care System for Youth Advocacy Center to send to key policymakers. Please contact us to discuss other ways you would like to advocate for better preparation for teens aging out of foster care.