Youth & Community

The National Center for Youth Law believes in the incredible power, agency, and wisdom of youth and is dedicated to centering their voices and experiences in all our transformative work.

Young person with a rainbow flag draped over them in the street perhaps at a demonstration

Our Youth- and Community-led Initiatives

The National Center for Youth Law works directly with young people, lived-experience experts and community members to amplify their voices and experiences to advance the solutions, policies, and practices they want and need in their communities. 

Colorful drawing of group of people "Self-Taught. Former foster you on sex, health, and life."

Advancing Reproductive Health Equity

Our Reproductive Health Equity Project — also known as RHEP — convenes a Youth Advisory Board who lead strategies to normalize, support, and promote the bodily autonomy and healthy sexual development of youth in foster care. From webinars to podcasts to guides, our team works with young people to uplift youth voices and advocate for policy changes that support healthy sexual development.
"CSEC Action Team California" with drawings of blue and green people

Assembling Survivor Experts to End the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Our Center Youth philosophy led to the creation of a first-in-the-nation state Advisory Board in California. This landmark Advisory Board is led by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation who are dedicated to turning their knowledge into action to better meet the needs of youth and families impacted by commercial sexual exploitation.
Miranda Sheffield at a community event in Kansas

Ending Court Fees and Fines for all Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Our DebtFree Justice initiative partners with local communities and organizations, like in Kansas, to organize and support local campaigns to raise awareness of and help abolish the injustice of charging fees and fines to youth and families who come into contact with juvenile justice systems.