Join the Transition-Age Youth Research and Evaluation Hub (TAY-Hub) and John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) for a conversation about new insights from the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood (CalYOUTH) Study. This webinar will unveil a fresh analysis linking CalYOUTH and state administrative data to better understand how extended foster care and the types of placements young people receive shape their risk of homelessness.
The findings are timely as the state embarks on reform of its foster care rates: Nearly 1 in 5 youth experience homelessness between ages 17 and 19; youth who exit care before age 19 are three times more likely to experience homelessness than those who stay; and supportive housing placements—specifically the Transitional Housing Placement for Non-Minor Dependents (THP-NMD) and Foster Family Agency (FFA) homes—stand out as the strongest protections against homelessness.
The session will feature TAY-Hub Co-Director, Dr. Mark Courtney who will walk participants through the research, followed by Selena Liu-Raphael with the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, who will discuss county-level differences in supportive placements, youth engagement, and opportunities to strengthen California’s extended foster care system.
Calling all current and former foster youth and the champions who support them! Join us for an inspiring introduction to the John Burton Fellowship, the first formal fellowship designed to place individuals with lived experience in foster care within the California Legislature and Executive Branch.
Developed in partnership between John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) and the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State, this groundbreaking initiative expands the state’s prestigious Capital Fellows Programs, long recognized as one of the nation’s most respected public policy fellowships.
During this engaging panel, current and former Capital Fellows will share their personal journeys and insights from working at the highest levels of state government—drafting legislation, supporting executive agencies, and advancing equity across California. You’ll hear how this new fellowship opens doors for foster youth to bring their lived experience and leadership directly into the spaces where decisions are made.
Whether you’re a foster youth exploring your next step in education or public service, or a caring adult who supports them—such as campus staff, mentors, or nonprofit partners —this session will equip you with the information and inspiration to take action.
Attendees will learn about the application process, eligibility requirements, and how to prepare a strong submission for the 2025–2026 fellowship cycle (applications close December 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PST). Don’t miss this chance to be part of history and help build a future where foster youth lead from the Capitol itself.
Join John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) for this “how-to” webinar to assist adult supporters working with foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth to successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). The webinar will review the FAFSA and CADAA, page by page, including detailed instructions on how eligible students can qualify as independent students for the purposes of maximizing financial aid. Presenters will also provide information on key steps to take after the FAFSA or CADAA is completed, such as creating a WebGrants account and claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship. In addition, the webinar will provide important updates on relevant state and federal policies.
In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 789 (Berman) into law, requiring California’s colleges and universities to align their Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies with minimum federal standards. Institutions were expected to implement these changes by the start of the 2024–2025 academic year. This shift carries important implications for equity, policy, and practice across the state.
To explore these impacts, John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) will host a webinar on Wednesday, August 20th focused on the equity implications of AB 789 and SAP reform. This session will highlight findings from JBAY’s multiyear SAP policy analysis, student-level data from the California Community Colleges, and insights from leading financial aid practitioners in California. The webinar will coincide with the release of JBAY’s SAP Practitioner Brief, offering strategic guidance for institutional implementation.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how institutions are implementing AB 789, what the data reveals about student outcomes, and how policy and practice can better support foster youth and other vulnerable student populations.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of John Burton on Sunday. In keeping with his vision and commitment to young people, the book launch events for I Yell Because I Care will move forward as planned.
Join us as we gather to celebrate the release of John’s memoir and launch the John Burton Fellowship, a new initiative that will place young people with lived experience of foster care and homelessness in the Capitol to help shape California’s future.
San Francisco
Wednesday, September 17
5:30 – 7:30 PM
📍 Bimbo’s 365 Club, 1025 Columbus Avenue. Please click here to register for the San Francisco event.
These gatherings will bring our community together to honor John’s legacy and move the work forward. We invite you to stand with us in celebrating this milestone and supporting the next generation of leaders through the John Burton Fellowship.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alex Mallick: [email protected] or call 415-518-2127.
To make a meaningful impact, please consider donating, sponsoring, or purchasing a ticket(s) to our event(s). You may donate via our donation page, purchase a ticket to attend our one or both of our events on the event registration page, or by sending a check payable to “John Burton Advocates for Youth” at 235 Montgomery St, Suite 1142, San Francisco, CA 94104. JBAY is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Tax ID # 81-2600695. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
