Youth Self-Advocates

Written By Kait Fedro

Speak Up, Be Heard: Youth Self-Advocates Leading the Way

Youth are experts in their own lives, and their voices are crucial to shaping systems that serve them. At Our Community Our Future, we believe young people should not just be heard but empowered to lead change.

If you’re a youth who has experienced support services or interacted with systems like education, healthcare, or juvenile justice, your insights can transform how these systems operate. Joining youth councils, participating in focus groups, or speaking at community events offers you a platform to share what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.

Your ideas and experiences help create programs and policies that are responsive, respectful, and relevant to youth today. When youth lead, communities thrive. We invite you to be a part of this movement for meaningful change.

Kait Fedro

Kaitlin “Kait” Fedro is the System of Care Coordinator with Our Community Our Future, where she develops resources, programming, and collaborative tools to strengthen supports for youth and families across the Heart of Texas region. Her passion for this work is deeply rooted in her lived experience with a mental health disorder that began in early adolescence, her role as a mother to a young, neurodivergent child, and her background as an early childhood development professional. Outside of work, Kait enjoys reading with an extra-large cup of coffee and visiting favorite community spots with her family.

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Individuals with Lived Experience