California Association of Youth Commissions
Empowering California youth to create change in local government.
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Empowering California youth to create change in local government. 〰️
California Association of Youth Commissions (CAYC)
The California Association of Youth Commissions (CAYC) is a pioneering organization dedicated to uniting youth commissions across California to share best practices, collaborate on initiatives, and enhance the well-being of young people in their communities. While youth commissions exist nationwide and some states have state-level commissions, CAYC is unique in its approach to connecting local commissions within a state. The organization leverages the deep, grassroots insights of local commissions to inform and drive policy recommendations.
Mission and Goals
Empower Youth, Shape the Future:
CAYC seeks to be a powerful collective voice influencing legislation to benefit youth. By forming a state-level association, local youth commissions can share resources, best practices, and support one another in their efforts to empower young people.
Advocacy and Support:
A key goal is to understand and address disparities among youth commissions. Despite the clear benefits—such as providing a voice for young people in local government and fostering civic engagement—many towns in California lack youth commissions due to limited funding, higher poverty rates, and reduced access to educational and recreational programs. By identifying these barriers, CAYC aims to develop strategies to encourage the formation and sustainability of youth commissions across all communities.
Upcoming Events
CAYC 2026 Virtual Spring Conference
• Date: Saturday, March 21, 9:00 am - 12 pm
• Location: Zoom
• Registration: Free
• Agenda:
The CAYC Spring Conference brings together youth commissioners from across California to share best practices for creating and maintaining youth commissions and exchange ideas for impactful local initiatives.
Participants will hear from policymakers and experts on AI and teen mental health, e-bike safety, alcohol use, and vocational training, and take part in student-led workshops focused on youth-driven policy solutions that can be addressed collectively at the state level.
Please join CAYC for this free event as we host a
Panel: “Architects of Change: Building and Strengthening Youth Commissions”
Panelists:
Harper Fortgang: Vice Chair of Housing, Recreation, & Transit Committee, San Francisco Youth Commission and Legislation Subcommittee Chair, California Association of Youth Commissions
Charlie Zeitlin: Palo Alto Youth Council and Legislation Subcommittee Vice-Chair, California Association of Youth Commissions
Moderated by: Anya Dalal, Chair, Hillsborough Youth Commission and Co-Founder and Chair, California Association of Youth Commissions
Please join CAYC for this free event as we host a Workshop: "From Inbox to Impact: Youth Strategies to Influence City Leaders"
Vivaan Kuruganti: Outreach Subcommittee Chair, California Association of Youth Commissions
Tanishk Saxena: Hillsborough Youth Commission and Outreach, Finance, and Conference Planning Subcommittees, California Association of Youth Commissions