REPORT FROM THE FIELD

THE POWER OF FIRST VOICE ADVOCACY: RALLYING LIVED EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE TRANSITIONS TO ADULTHOOD FOR YOUTH IN CARE IN CANADA

  • Melanie Doucet McGill University
  • Ashley Bach National Council of Youth in Care Advocates
  • Marie Christian National Council of Youth in Care Advocates
Keywords: youth in care, youth aging out of care, care leavers, transition to adulthood, child welfare, advocacy, lived experience, first voice advocacy, activism, evaluation, standards, child welfare, child welfare reform

Abstract

This report describes a national lived experience advocacy movement generated by the work of the National Council of Youth in Care Advocates to support equitable transitions to adulthood for youth in care in Canada. The emergence of the National Council at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic is presented, as well as the ongoing progress and achievements in advocacy and best practice efforts at the national and local jurisdiction levels. This article, by three members of the National Council, is the first to provide an account of the process associated with national lived experience advocacy mobilization by and for youth in care.

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Author Biographies

Melanie Doucet, McGill University

former youth in care who is now Adjunct Professor, McGill School of Social Work and Senior Researcher and Project Manager, Child Welfare League of Canada

Ashley Bach, National Council of Youth in Care Advocates

First Nations former youth in care and advocate and Ontario representative member, NCYCA

Marie Christian, National Council of Youth in Care Advocates

Former youth in care, Program Director, VOICES: Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network, and a Manitoba representative member, NCYCA

Published
2023-03-24
How to Cite
Doucet, M., Bach, A., & Christian, M. (2023). REPORT FROM THE FIELD: THE POWER OF FIRST VOICE ADVOCACY: RALLYING LIVED EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE TRANSITIONS TO ADULTHOOD FOR YOUTH IN CARE IN CANADA. International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies, 14(1), 131-146. https://doi.org/10.18357/ijcyfs141202321289