Getting Your Own Attorney
This document helps young people learn how to ask for an attorney. It explains…
This document helps young people learn how to ask for an attorney. It explains…
Senate Bill 564 (2024) Made the Biggest Revision to Independent Living…
A Legal Health Check Up is a FREE personal meeting with a lawyer who will review all aspects of your life and help you determine
This Economic Stimulus Payment Tip Sheet is intended to help youth who had child welfare involvement understand how to obtain a stimulus payment.
This Income Tax Tip Sheet is intended to give youth who had child welfare involvement some items to consider when filing your taxes.
Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Insurance) provides critical information about unemployment benefits. (Updated 4.16.20)
Florida Youth SHINE and its partner Vita Nova are maintaining a running resource list for foster youth and their supporters.
COVID-19 Tips for Professionals offers adult professionals, volunteers and frontline staff who work with young people information to share with the youth they serve.
Freaked About Finances, address the most pressing issue – what to do when facing the loss of income.
Florida’s independent living laws offer terrific benefits for young people. But the laws are complex…
FYS Events & Meeting Chair
(Palm Beach)
Hello, My name is Alexia Nechayev. I am 25 years old and I am an alumna of Florida International University where I received my B.A. in Psychology. My future career goal is to be a Lawyer. I was in care for about one year from age 17 to 18. Prior to entering care, I only knew about the negative stigma regarding foster care and while in care that narrative was unfortunately my experience.
In school I felt like I was on display because my status in care was broadcast to other students and in my placement behavior was leveraged for “privileges” that should be a natural right of all children. Because I did not know my rights I did not know that what I was experiencing was wrong. Today this is exactly why I advocate, because I don’t want this to be the same for other youth who are experiencing foster care.
This is my second year on the FYS Statewide Board and I’m happy to be the Events and Meetings Chair this year because my main goal through advocacy is to reach as many people as possible. My favorite thing as a board member is to see how comfortable members become while working together. The community needs to know that youth in foster care are real people, going through some of the hardest moments of their life and youth need to know that their voice is powerful. I believe that we have to speak up and bring these issues to people’s attention so that they do not forget us. Advocacy, education and consistency is the only way.