Youth Partnerships

"How Juvenile Law Center incorporates the youth voice is really important. I feel like I'm on the cutting edge of what's going on as far as advocacy work." - Marcus Jarvis, Advocates for Youth Justice alumnus

Why we invest in youth partnerships

We believe in the power of youth voice. Young people are experts on their own lives, and their lived experiences should inform policies that affect them. Juvenile Law Center’s advocacy powerfully combines youth expertise and legal strategy. Working closely with young people who have experienced the harm of state systems and building our grassroots connections in collaboration with youth leaders supports us in remaining accountable to visionary goals. It also ensures that those most impacted by our strategic decisions have a voice in making the choices likely to impact their futures and the futures of their closest families and communities.   

In 2024, we welcomed our inaugural class of Stoneleigh Youth Advocacy Fellows. The second class started in 2026.

The Stoneleigh Youth Advocacy Fellowship

The Stoneleigh Youth Advocacy Fellowship is an 18-month fellowship for individuals with deep expertise based on their lived experience in the juvenile legal or family policing/child welfare system. Stoneleigh Youth Advocacy Fellows work alongside Juvenile Law Center staff to promote system abolition and reduce the harmful impact of the juvenile legal and child welfare systems. This fellowship is supported by the Stoneleigh Foundation of Philadelphia. 

The Fellowship marks a shift from our prior youth advocacy programs, providing us with a new approach and an opportunity to strengthen the partnerships between our legal teams and youth with lived experience.   

History

In 2008, Juvenile Law Center launched the Youth Advocacy Program to give system-involved youth the chance to evaluate the system and develop and implement reform campaigns. We began with a program that addressed the issues of young people in the juvenile legal system. The following year, we built on our success to launch a program for young people with involvement in the foster care system. These programs, Advocates for Youth Justice and Advocates Transforming Youth Systems, have been vital to our advocacy for change in Philadelphia, across Pennsylvania, and nationally.  

 

In 2025, Juvenile Law Center will sunset our youth programs to build out the Fellowship Program and Youth Parterships work. 

Celebrating 15 Years of Juvenile Law Center's Youth Advocacy Program in 2023
 

Past Projects

Over the past 15 plus years, our youth advocates learned and engaged in policy advocacy, media outreach, and public education. They built leadership and public speaking skills, gained political knowledge, and created a community with their peers. Additionally, their leadership was instrumental in many critical policy changes, from improving access to record expungement to empowering youth in foster care in dependency court. They spoke directly to lawmakers and made national media appearances; their resources and tool kits have been used across the country. They testified at Congressional briefings and met with White House staff. Below are a sample of our youth advocates' most influential projects.

Shirkey with House Staffers

Access Our Youth Advocacy Toolkit

While our model has now shifted, we have learned a lot from our decades building a youth advocacy program. If you are looking to start a youth advocacy program in your area, check out our free toolkit to get started. 

See Toolkit