Statewide

The DCF Youth Council is a group of youth and young adults ages 15-23 who are currently or formerly involved with: the Division of Child Protection & Permanency (DCP&P), the Children’s System of Care (CSOC), and/or the Office of Education (DCF Regional Schools).

Youth with lived experience, who are passionate about changing the child welfare system for the next generation, have the opportunity to:

Change policy and practice.
Meet other youth with lived experience.
Design new programs and services.
Present to audiences statewide and nationally.
Speak directly with the NJ DCF Commissioner.

Council members commit to a two-year term. The DCF Youth Council meets monthly in a large group and weekly / biweekly in smaller subcommittees to work on projects. They are always compensated for their time and receive transportation assistance and food when they attend in-person events. Council members build skills that last a lifetime while advocating for all youth in care. Youth Council Members have already accomplished real change: As examples, they wrote the Siblings’ Bill of Rights that was signed into law by Governor Murphy; they co-designed the peer mentoring program called EnlightenMENT and they’ve re-designed the NJYRS website.

To learn more about the NJ DCF Office of Family Voice and the co-design work they do, feel free to check out their website. Should you have any questions, please reach out to them at DCF.OfficeofFamilyVoice@dcf.nj.gov.

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) Office of Family Voice is currently recruiting Youth Council members for the 2026 – 2027 term. If you know are of know a young person who has lived experience with DCF’s programs or services, and who is eager to have their voice heard to make a positive impact on New Jersey’s child-and-family-serving system, please encourage them to apply! Recruitment and interviews will take place through the Fall of 2025, with applications staying open into 2026 for a second round of recruitment in the summer.

Youth Ambassadors speak to current and potential foster parents, as well as at PRIDE trainings, group engagements, to DCF staff, or at community events about personal experiences in the system. They advocate on behalf of current and former foster youth, and address the misconceptions about youth in foster care.

If you are interested in this role, please contact Lee Xenakis, Statewide Recruiter, at lee.xenakis@dcf.nj.gov