The 2024 Congressional Leadership Academy

The 40 members of the 2024 Congressional Leadership Academy will spend 10 months working together and learning how to use their lived experience to call for changes to foster care at the local and national levels. Representing communities from Hawaii to New York, these CLA delegates will gather in person in Washington, DC for the Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day Experience in June.

Meet the 2024 Congressional Leadership Academy Delegation:

Meet the 2024 Congressional Leadership Academy Delegation:

Regional Coordinator Supporters

After Delegates have served as Regional Coordinators, the next step in their Shadow Day journey is becoming Regional Coordinator Supporters. Regional Coordinator Supporters are there to offer guidance and support to our Regional Coordinators as they transition from the role of student to mentor. 

Policy Meets Experience

NFYI'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

The key to creating positive changes for foster youth and the child welfare system itself is through helping both foster youth and elected officials better understand how policy translates to personal experiences and vice versa. By the time they complete NFYI’s Congressional Leadership Academy, delegates will have a deeper understanding of child welfare policy priorities and how they connect to federal, state, and local levels of child welfare. Furthermore, delegates will be able to articulate how their hands-on Congressional Shadow Day experience connects to our larger efforts to educate decision makers and organize communities to reform the child welfare system.