Empowering foster youth to transform the foster care and intersecting systems through community organizing, legislative, policy, and practice change. Est. 1988. California Youth Connection empowers current and former foster youth through leadership, advocacy, and community engagement. Our goal is to ensure every young person in foster care has the voice and the power to shape the systems that impact their lives. The mission of California Youth Connection (CYC), a youth-led organization, is to develop leaders who empower each other and their communities to transform the foster care system through legislative, policy, and practice change. Our vision is that all foster youth will be equal partners in contributing to all policies and decisions made in their lives. All youth in foster care will have their needs met and the support to grow into healthy and vibrant adults.