Our Work

History

In 2008, Foster Youth in Action was started by members and supportive adults from California Youth Connection (CYC) who had a vision for a national movement of organized groups across the country.  For many years, FYIA worked to provide intensive training to help start new groups across the country while also creating a network of local organizations who could share and learn from each other. 

However, in 2019 we conducted a listening tour to hear directly from Members about what they wanted for the future of FYIA.  From here, a small task force of Members from New York, California, Oregon, Georgia, Florida, and North Caroline worked together with the broader Network to develop a new framework that would shift collective power to the Members and strengthen our movement. 

The new FYIA Structure was approved by Members in June 2022 - and here we are!

Our Vision

Foster Youth in Action envisions a world - rooted in community, love, and connection - where all young people and their families have all their needs met and are free to follow their dreams; A world where all have social and economic power.

Our Mission

Foster Youth in Action is building a movement led by a network of foster-led groups and people with lived experience to dismantle oppressive “child welfare” systems, redistribute power, and build new systems of healing and well-being.

We do this through collective leadership, grassroots organizing, and creating a national people’s agenda that can be used to leverage systemic change in policy, practice, and legislative change at the local, state, and national level.