Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a nonprofit national career and technical student organization for young men and women in Family and Consumer Sciences education in public and private school through grade 12. Everyone is part of a family, and FCCLA is the only national Career and Technical Student Organization with the family as its central focus. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education.
Chapter projects focus on a variety of youth concerns, including teen pregnancy, parenting, family relationships, substance abuse, peer pressure, environment, nutrition and fitness, teen violence, and career exploration. Involvement in FCCLA offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life -- planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication -- necessary in the home and workplace.
Mission
To promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences education. Focusing on the multiple roles of family member, wage earner and community leader, members develop skills for life through: character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge, and career preparation.
Purposes
- to provide opportunities for personal development and preparation for adult life
- to strengthen the function of the family as a basic unit of society
- to encourage democracy through cooperative action in the home and community
- to encourage individual and group involvement in helping achieve global cooperation and harmony
- to promote greater understanding between youth and adults
- to provide opportunities for making decisions and for assuming responsibilities.
- to prepare for the multiple roles of men and women in today's society
- to promote Family and Consumer Sciences and related occupations
Program Emphasis
FCCLA is the only in-school student organization with the family as its central focus. FCCLA is a career and technical student organization that functions as an integral part of the Family and Consumer Sciences education curriculum and operates within the school system, and it provides opportunities for active student participation at local, state, and national levels.
Membership
FCCLA has a national membership of over 200,000 young men and women in nearly 6,500 chapters. There are 50 state associations including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Since its founding in 1945, FCCLA has involved more than nine million youth. Former members are eligible to become members of Alumni & Associates.