This month, John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) released its newly adopted strategic plan, a comprehensive roadmap to guide the organization through 2027.
The centerpiece of the plan is an ambitious ten-year goal: to reduce the equity gap for postsecondary educational & career attainment among youth impacted by foster care and housing insecurity by half and the number of youth experiencing homelessness by half.
According to Board Chair John Garcia, this goal demonstrates JBAY’s ongoing commitment, as the organization celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024, “We are proud of what we have achieved in our first 20 years. This plan makes it clear that JBAY has no intention of slowing down and will continue to make real change for young people across California.”
Programmatically, JBAY sharpened its focus through the strategic planning process. College and Career Pathways replaces the more general “education” program. This refined name better reflects JBAY’s long-standing commitment to increasing access to career education, not exclusively degree attainment. Additionally, the Housing and Economic Mobility Program, replaces the Housing and Health Program. This change reflects JBAY’s extensive work to promote tax filing among foster youth and a decreased level of activity in strictly health-related work.
For Director of Housing and Economic Mobility Simone Tureck Lee, the strategic plan was an opportunity to step back and make sure JBAY was on track, “The plan gave us the opportunity to look deeply at our work and make sure we are taking on the most important challenges facing youth who have been in foster care or homeless.”
In addition to specific program strategies, the strategic plan lays out important organizational changes for JBAY, including an increased focus in Los Angeles County, a more formalized communication strategy and a deepened commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the organization.
Former foster youth and JBAY Youth Advocate Mentor Cody Van Felden was on the strategic planning committee and is excited about the work ahead. “Being a part of the planning committee allowed me to witness the work JBAY does behind the scenes. What I saw was nothing short of a highly committed organization dedicated to addressing the gaps foster youth or youth who experience homelessness encounter. Having a seat at the table reminds me that our voices matter, not just to identify the problems but also to develop the solutions.”