ICYMI: YALC Visits the White House for First-Ever Interagency Youth Policy Summit

The Biden-Harris Administration brought together nearly 90 young people from across the nation at the U.S. Department of Education for the first-ever interagency Youth Policy Summit: Cultivating Possibilities.

The summit, which was designed and planned in partnership with youth, gave policymakers from federal agencies a chance to hear directly from young people and learn from one another about how to improve policies and programs to ensure that all youth have the opportunity to thrive. Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has consistently engaged with, partnered alongside, and delivered for young people nationwide—from supporting mental health and lowering the cost of living to tackling the climate crisis and canceling student debt.

“Young people in this country are dealing with a lot of serious challenges right now, and they deserve our full support. That’s why President Biden has put forward a comprehensive national strategy to tackle our behavioral health crisis and ensure that supports and services are available wherever and whenever young people need them,” said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. 

The Summit included several panel discussions around federal policies and programs and their intersection with adolescent developmental goals: 

• Wellbeing
• Belonging
• Purpose, Identity, and Meaning-making
• Agency and Decision-making
• Leadership and Contribution

Youth and key systems leaders within youth-serving agencies and organizations (across education, child welfare, housing, juvenile justice, justice, employment, health, and mental health) discussed how policy decisions and alignment across systems can better serve youth and young adults—especially those furthest from opportunity. 

Featured speakers in the discussions included Secretaries Cardona, Becerra, and Su. At the same time, additional agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Justice, participated in the summit.

Learn more about NCLD’s Young Adult Leadership Council and the impact our young adults are making here.