The purpose of the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) is to give foster youth the opportunity to help SCA build programs and activities based on their experiences in the foster care system. YAP will take on the task of advising SCA program directors by offering suggestions and input by sharing their thoughts and experiences about the foster care system. SCA will also be looking to YAP for outreach to the community and building an awareness of foster care issues to raise support for the improvement of the dependency system. The YAP is important to SCA because the youth are able to provide vital information about their experiences in the foster care system as well as express what they think would have made a difference for them. YAP is all about seeing life through the eyes of our youth.

Issues Discussed by YAP.  Here a few issues that the YAP will address and discuss. Other issues will be added as program activities develop.

	Mental and Physical Health Maintenance
	Foster Care Placements
	Teens Support (School Administrations, Sex Education, Peer Influence, etc.)
	Young Adult Support (Health, Employment and Living Assistance)
	Artistic Outlets for Youth
	Community Ignorance

Responsibilities.  Depending upon the level of comfort amongst the YAP members, the following responsibilities are divided and assigned as needed. If you are interested in becoming part of the YAP please keep in mind the goals are to inform SCA staff, the media, community members and other organizations of the issues with children, youth and young adults in the foster care system. To accomplish this goal, there must be public contact, including speaking engagements, presentations and one-on-one conversations expressing these issues and your experiences in the foster care system.

	Meet twice a month as a group with SCA directors and staff to give feedback and suggestions on how youth may be affected as programs are developed
	Attend events and activities as a YAP representative, sharing your personal experiences in the foster care system and the results of programming
	Help to build the foster youth adult-child mentoring program; including creating activities, seeking eligible mentors and matching mentees
	Help to create media and community awareness of foster care issues through news articles, art, radio, TV and other avenues

If you are a current and former foster youth between the age of 14-24 and are interested in becoming involved with the YAP, please contact SCA at 916-364-5686.