Youth Outright Wnc Inc

THROUGHOUT 2022 YOUTH OUTRIGHT HOSTED 3 WEEKLY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON. OUR PROGRAMS ARE FOR YOUNG LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE AGES 11-24, WE EXPANDED OUR SERVICE AGE RANGE IN 2022 RECOGNIZING A GAP IN SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS. THESE GROUPS OFFERS YOUTH PEER COMMUNITY & SUPPORT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. ADDITIONALLY WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE YOUTH LED GSA CLUBS IN OUR REGIONAL COMMUNITIES AND AT LOCAL SCHOOLS AND HOST ANNUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE QUEER YOUTH PROM AND THE STONEWALL FAMILY PICNIC. WE WORK WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL COMMUNITIES TO MAP OUT RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE CANNOT MEET ALL OF THEIR NEEDS. THE RESOURCES WERE ABLE TO CONNECT YOUTH TO INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:YOUTH LED GSA CLUBS, LGBTQIA+ AFFIRMING COUNSELING, AFFIRMING FAITH INSTITUTIONS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS THAT AFFIRM AND SUPPORT QUEER AND TRANS YOUNG PEOPLE. WE CONTINUED OUR RAPID RESPONSE MINI GRANT, THE DIRECT YOUTH PAYMENT PROGRAM, FOR QUEER AND TRANS YOUTH WHO NEED SUPPORT ACCESSING BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS RENT, GROCERIES, UTILITIES AND MEDICINE. IN JULY OF 2022 WE CONVENED CORE LEADERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR A LEADERSHIP RETREAT FOCUSED ON OUR MISSION AND VALUES STATEMENTS. A INTERGENERATIONAL GROUP OF TRANS AND QUEER FOLKS WORKED TOGETHER TO CRAFT A NEW MISSION STATEMENT AS WELL AS RACIAL AND GENDER JUSTICE STATEMENTS. IN 2022 YOUTH CHECKED INTO WEEKLY PROGRAMS 737 TIMES, AND WE ENGAGED 176 NEW YOUTH WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO A YOUTH OUTRIGHT PROGRAM BEFORE. WE RELAUNCHED OUR ANNUAL QUEER YOUTH PROM, THE FIRST TIME THE EVENT HAS RETURNED SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC. OUR STATEWIDE NETWORK OF GSA CLUBS HAS GROWN TO BE OVER 100 CLUBS ACROSS THE STATE.