A group of former foster youth in Indiana work to give input for those currently in the system.
Drew David Nolan Sare, 19, sits on the Indiana Youth Advisory Board, a group of about 90 youth around the state who are or have been in the foster system. This year the board made a change in the delivery of Christmas gifts to boys at an Indianapolis group home.
“I think it was much better to wait and allow them to open it on Christmas Day so they had something there,” Sare says.
The board is organized by nonprofit Connected by 25 and works to advocate for foster youth. Sare says the members have a unique perspective.
“Because living in it you see the faults and the things that need to be fixed,” he says.
The advisory board advocates for youth on issues ranging from health insurance to drivers licenses.
“And we try our best to make sure those thing addressed and get it done in a timely manner so they have the best experience they can in foster care,” says Sare.
This year there will a push to track graduation rates for foster youth. Currently the state doesn’t have that data.
