Youth Engagement Project

Through the wisdom and expertise cultivated by lived experience, our current Youth Ambassadors are working closely with their local county partners to guide and improve policies, supports, and resources for the youth involved in the foster care system.  Here are some of the 2023-24 projects in the YEP counties:

• The creation of mental health brochures for various age groups that provide resources for youth in care.
• The review and input into county policies which directly impact youth in care.
• Living skills events for youth in care in multiple counties.
• An Improved website for current and former foster youth including a communication hub.
• Monthly articles in a countywide newsletter on various youth-informed topics.
• A resource guide for youth who speak English as a second language.
• The ongoing recruitment of specialized resource homes for teens.
• Human Trafficking education and outreach materials.
• Participation on a cross-sector SOGIE panel.

Future YEP Impact Projects…What’s in the works!

Youth Ambassadors and their county partners are strategizing for future county projects, such as:

• The process for youth to provide input into the Request for Proposal (RFP) selection process, specifically for services that serve youth in care.
• The creation of a foster youth advisory board.
• Training both newly hired social workers and resource parents regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Focus groups to better understand barriers to participation in independent living skills training.
• Training resource parents and newly hired social workers on the importance of sibling connections.
• Participation in local Interagency Leadership Teams via AB2083.
• Guiding Family Finding processes.
• Increasing high school graduation and college enrollment for foster youth.