Foster Youth In Action & California Youth Connection History

In 2008, Foster Youth In Action (FYIA) was established by California Youth Connection (CYC) members and adult supporters who had a vision for a national movement of organized foster care advocacy groups across the country. For several 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. 

One year later in 2009 and in partnership with CYC, FYIA held the first Leaders 4 Change (L4C) Conference during CYC’s Summer Leadership and Policy Conference (SLPC) in California. FYIA members traveled from across the country to learn from CYC Members. 

In 2017 FYIA and CYC developed a foster youth-led organizing framework and Foster Power Organizing Curriculum that would be used as the foundation for building the power across the FYA Network. In 2018 FYIA and CYC launched this Foster Power Organizing Curriculum and hosted the first Foster Power Event. 

In February of 2020 FYIA Staff and Board of Directors conducted an organizational assessment about FYIA’s future. This included a network-wide listening tour and survey. Later that year in July FYIA announced their plans to explore a merger. Then in August, FYIA presented at CYC’s Statewide Membership Council (SMC). It was here that the FYIA Merger Work Group was established. In December of 2020 during Leaders 4 Change, FYIA members facilitated an engagement session with the FYIA network to explore their priorities and inform the merger process. This session included a presentation from CYC. 

Finally, in July 2021 the merger became official. FYIA remains a nationwide network, operating from within CYC.