Youth

This session is for individuals and agencies looking to expand their advocacy and public awareness efforts in partnership with true experts – the youth who have experienced foster care, kinship care, and/or adoption. Learn the basics of development, promotion and maintenance of public speaking team(s) of adopted/foster/kin youth. Engaging youth and young adults in such a “team”… More

What child doesn’t want to play on a Little League team, go on a school field trip or sleep overnight with friends? What teen doesn’t dream of getting a driver’s license, earning money at a part time job and attending the prom? Many of us can remember how foundational these and similar experiences were in… More

This informative webinar is designed for anyone parenting or providing services for LGBTQ children and youth in foster care, adoption, or relative care. Included is an overview of what we know about: LGBTQ youth in out of home care the impact of family rejection their struggle for inclusion and safety when in care lack of… More

Presenters share successful Florida advocacy efforts to pass the state’s “Normalcy Bill” to create a more supportive and normative growing up experience for children and youth in foster care. The law allows foster and kin caregivers to make prudent parental decisions about activities that their foster and kin children participate in, without having to seek… More

Gain tools and understanding to become effective advocates, whether you are working on personal needs (case advocacy) or larger issues (class advocacy). Advocates need to develop consensus, value the principle of WII-FM (what’s in it for me), craft a coherent and achievable message, gather meaningful data, and develop an advocacy agenda that can succeed. Presenters… More

by Catherine, 2015 I often dread the days where I have to get up in the morning, and pretend that everything is alright, and that I hopefully survive the day without one negative thought, or thinking about my unspeakable past. There is a miserable place that depression takes me to after gaining full dominance of… More

NACAC’s Community Champions Network is able to help organizations in the US and Canada start or enhance support or advocacy networks led by and serving youth people who have experienced adoption or foster care. Our services include providing technical assistance on leadership development and program planning. Each year, we offer training to youth leaders and… More

In 2016, NACAC created a Youth Advisory Team to ensure that we can highlight and learn from young people who have experienced foster care and adoption. In addition to advising NACAC and supporting our work to enhance youth advocacy efforts in the US and Canada, the Youth Advisory Team is available to consult with others… More

We at NACAC believe in the power of expressing your lived experience as an advocacy and support tool. We encourage adoptees and young people who are or who have been in foster care to share their stories to make a difference in the lives of others. We also embrace the diversity of ways people can… More

We at NACAC believe there is tremendous in shared experience and personal advocacy. By telling your story about foster care and adoption, you can change the child welfare system inspire others to get help or speak up help other young people know they are not alone change public perceptions of foster and adopted youth heal… More

When young people are telling their stories in advocacy efforts, it’s incredibly important to ensure that they know what to share and, more importantly, what not to share. Explore this section of our site to: Read about different ways to share your story Read and view sample stories, videos, and artwork from young people Strategic… More

Please explore the articles below about how to start or improve youth advocacy or support networks. Use the sidebar links to learn about how we can help. NACAC Resources Articles Teaching Youth the Essential Qualities of a Leader Developing an Advocacy Plan Taking Care of Yourself Advocacy Tips Tips for Creating a Public Service Announcement… More

By Kayla Van Dyke, NACAC’s youth engagement coordinator (this article originally appeared in Fostering Families Today) “Nothing about us without us!” This slogan has been used by many groups over the years to highlight the important role that stakeholder populations should have in informing the policies, procedures, and resources that affect them. Recently, these words… More

Choosing Your Purpose There are a variety of youth support and advocacy networks, although each group is different. Some options include: peer-to-peer mentoring traditional mentoring tutoring life-skills training advocacy support social Anyone who wants to start or enhance a youth network needs to decide what type of group is right for them and their community… More