Academic Year 2025 to 2026
FYSA Youth Advocate Internship Program Application
Deadline to apply: August 22, 2025
OVERVIEW
The Fostering Youth Success Alliance (FYSA) is a statewide advocacy group that promotes policies and programs offering young people with a foster care background opportunities to set higher expectations and achieve their goals. We are dedicated to data-driven systems reform, raising public awareness, and securing stabilizing supports that will empower youth across New York to overcome barriers and excel in life.
FYSA is governed by a steering committee composed of advocates and service providers from New York State. The committee supports advocacy on various city, state, and federal legislation that aligns with FYSA’s policy goals. We seek to cultivate relationships with government officials at all levels to ensure we are successful in our advocacy work. FYSA is unique in that we encourage young people with system involvement to take part as leaders in our advocacy efforts.
Youth Advocates will play a key role in steering committee discussions and decisions and participate in FYSA’s statewide advocacy work. They will have the opportunity and responsibility to raise awareness of issues that youth in care face in the foster care system and to educate the community on initiatives that can support them. This is a great opportunity for young people who have a passion for advocacy work, state politics, and educational outreach on essential programs and policies. We ask for a firm 9-month commitment from all Youth Advocates.
Role and Responsibilities
- Serve as a FYSA steering committee member.
- Participation and attendance of 80% of meetings during the year, either in-person or virtually.
- Support the ongoing maintenance of our Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) Guidebook and website.
- Participate in and help guide FYSA’s social media advocacy strategy.
- Serve as a support and lead for FYSA’s annual Advocacy Day.
- Serve as a voice during FYSA engagements such as:
- Youth forums
- Rallies
- Webinars on policy issues identified by youth with a foster care background
- Provide recommendations and engage in strategy and planning on the 4-point policy issue areas: higher education, housing, K-12 education and mental health.
- Participate in weekly Youth Advocate team check-ins via Zoom (mandatory camera on).
- Participate in weekly one-one-one check-ins via Zoom with mandatory camera on.
- Attend in-person and/or hybrid trainings and advocacy events. (*Please note: advance notice will be provided for all in-person events, and when travel or lodging is required, these costs will be paid for by FYSA).
- Participate in quarterly performance reviews.
- Youth will have the option to participate in other major events and can volunteer to have a hand in other social media spaces.
Compensation
A quarterly stipend will be provided in three installments.
Eligibility
- Must be currently or formerly in foster care.
- Must be able to commit for 9 months (September 30, 2025 to June 30, 2028).
- 5 to 10-hour commitment per week.
- Must be currently in college/or working.
- Must be 18 years or older.
- Must pass background check.