Resources to Power Advocacy
Transforming public systems and providing youth access to justice requires powerful tools – legal strategy, policy expertise, narrative change, and community leadership. YLC equips legal and community advocates, youth, families, and public officials with the resources and knowledge needed to drive change from the ground up. From training local lawyers, advocates and providers, to building cross-sector coalitions, our work reflects a movement lawyering model: leveraging the law to empower communities and achieve lasting justice.
Advocacy Initiatives
Impact Stories
2024: Celebrating Four Years of Transformative Advocacy with the Transition Aged Youth Civil Legal Practice Exchange
The Youth Law Center is thrilled to mark the fourth anniversary of the Transition Aged Youth (TAY) Civil Legal Practice Exchange. The Youth Law Center’s goal is to ensure that young people involved in foster care and juvenile justice systems have what they need to thrive, and civil legal aid programs play a critical role in addressing gaps in services from child welfare, probation, education, immigration, health and behavioral health care, housing and other systems so these youth have access to justice.
2024: Youth Law Center Expands Legal Services for Youth in New Mexico
In 2024, as part of his Equal Justice Works Fellowship (sponsored by Baker McKenzie & Salesforce, Inc.), YLC attorney Christopher Middleton partnered with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC) to clear a critical legal backlog for youth seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). These youth-who have faced abuse, neglect, or abandonment- need timely legal support to remain eligible for protection from negative immigration consequences, including deportation.
2024: Youth Law Center Supports Legal Aid Initiatives to Stabilize Systems-Impacted Youth
In 2024, the Youth Law Center worked alongside legal aid organizations across California to expand access to public benefits, strengthen housing supports, and protect the rights of youth in foster care and the juvenile justice system. Through our TAY Civil Legal Practice Exchange, YLC provided dozens of trainings to legal aid attorneys, offered technical assistance on individual cases, developed legal resources and guides, and engaged in state and federal advocacy to ensure youth receive the economic supports they need to thrive.
