The Distinguished Panelists

California Youth Connection (CYC) is the state's only non-profi t youth advocacy and leadership organization dedicated to giving current and former foster youth the skills necessary to engage directly with policymakers to improve the foster care system. Formed out of the fundamental belief that policymakers can benefi t from the input of those who have experienced fi rst-hand the impact of child welfare policies, CYC has remained a vehicle for foster youth to enact change on the federal, state, and local government levels. CYC chapters serve as the main platform for empowering CYC members to create immediate change within their communities. Local chapters are county-based and are run by youth – youth set the agenda, facilitate the meetings, and decide how to work with offi cials to address pressing issues faced by foster youth in their county. Adult supporters, who are volunteer community members chosen by the local chapter, assist CYC youth in their goal to improve the foster care system. Each year, CYC chapters host and organize two statewide conferences: Day at the Capitol and Summer Leadership and Policy Conference. The Day at the Capitol conference, held at the end of January in Sacramento, provides members with the unique opportunity to educate legislators and the Governor's administration on pertinent foster care issues. During the three-day conference, members attend youth-facilitated workshops that develop their leadership and advocacy skills, which assist them in their interactions with legislators. On the last day of the conference, youth meet their elected offi cials to provide them with key recommendations that aim to solve foster care issues in California. To date, over 15 youth-driven policy recommendations that have originated from the Day at the Capitol have been passed into state law. The Summer Leadership and Policy Conference is an annual conference hosted by one of CYC's 30 statewide chapters. The goals of the Summer Leadership and Policy Conference is threefold: to build the leadership skills of members, to identify problems that affect foster youth throughout the state of California, and to develop policy recommendations to address those problems. On the last day of the conference, youth present their fi ndings to local child welfare specialists and other interested members of the community. The conference not only instills a sense of collective empowerment among the members, but prepares recommendations for youth to present to the State Legislature at the annual Day at the Capitol conference.