Patrick Gem Gabbett is a Youth Advocate at John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY). Like so many former foster youth, he wants to make the world a better place, better than it was for him as he was growing up.
For Patrick, that means earning a degree in Library Science from Sacramento City College. “I want to become a librarian, and be a guiding light for kids, like my childhood librarians were for me.”
Patrick is one of nine Youth Advocates here at JBAY. These exceptional young people were formerly in foster care or have been homeless. Their role at JBAY is to bring their direct, lived experiences to our work in the areas of education, housing and health.
This happens in several ways. First, they advocate for policy change by testifying at hearings and meeting with legislators. They also present on JBAY webinars, write op-eds and use social media to educate other young people.
According to JBAY Executive Director Amy Lemley, the Youth Advocates are a critical part of JBAY’s success. “The Youth Advocates help people understand that issues such as homelessness are not abstract. They affect real people and if we don’t take action, there are real consequences,” said Lemley.
JBAY provides Youth Advocates a stipend, but like Patrick, their main motivation is to make an impact and improve the system for children and youth today and in the future.
According to Patrick, “We still need to see so much change in the world for foster youth; more support for youth in care, money so that good parents who can’t take care of their kids don’t have their kids thrown into the system… screening foster parents and putting kids with parents who will treat them well.”
With young leaders like Patrick and his fellow Youth Advocates, these changes are within reach.