Item 4: OutYouth Presentation — original pdf

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36 Years of Life-Saving Care, Connection, and Community Presented By JARYN HOLBROOK JANEWAY, MBA, SHRM-SCP Executive Director | They/Them Who We Are & Why We Exist 2 Why We Exist: The Reality for LGBTQ+ Youth ● 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered suicide in the past year—including 46% of transgender and nonbinary youth. ● 50% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were unable to access it. ● 49% of LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–17 experienced bullying in the past year. Source: The Trevor Project National Survey 3 Our 36-Year Journey (1990 – 2026) ● 1990: Two UT Social Work graduate students begin hosting support groups in Austin living rooms. ● 1995: Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to protect and serve local youth. ● 1998: We purchase and move into our historic 1,900-square-foot house in North Central Austin—which we still call home today. ● 2001: Free mental health care services added to our offerings. ● 2015: The Youth Development Model, the first of its kind, is created in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin. ● Today: 36 years of uninterrupted service, impacting over 40,000 lives across Central Texas. 4 The Youth Development Model 5 Core Youth Programs (Ages 9–23) ● The Drop-In Community Center: Tailored, age-separated environments designed to foster belonging, safety, and friendship. ○ Pre-Teen Program (Ages 9–12) | Focus: Exploration ○ Teen Program (Ages 13–17) | Focus: Discovery ○ Young Adult Program (Ages 18–23) | Focus: Awareness ● Everyday Resources: Secure virtual drop-in centers via Discord 6 Our Developmental Framework ● The 6 Pillars of Youth Excellence: Our programs purposefully build skills across six core developmental domains. ○ 1. Social Development: Interpersonal relationships and life skills. ○ 2. Self-Discovery: Fostering high self-esteem and authentic identity. ○ 3. Community Connections: Civic involvement and mutual advocacy. ○ 4. Health & Wellness: Self-care, safety, and physical/mental well-being. ○ 5. Leadership: Peer collaboration and program advisory roles. ○ 6. Future Planning: Transitioning to higher education, employment, and stable adulthood. 7 Youth Initiatives, Cultural Spaces, & Media Arts ● The Jerry Strickland Jr. Memorial Library: The largest privately managed collection of queer literature in Texas, completely cataloged and free for public checkout. ● The Media Arts Program: Empowers youth to master creative technology, digital storytelling, and content creation in an affirming environment. ● David Bohnett CyberCenter & Sound Studio: Providing technology equity, digital literacy, and creative outlets for digital art, graphic design, music, and podcasting. ● Interactive Engagement: Tabletop role-playing nights (D&D), storytelling workshops, and mixed-media empowerment projects. 8 The Aging-Up Safety Net ● Ensuring No Youth Falls Through the Cracks: Growth transitions can be jarring. Our Youth Connectors bridge the gap between age brackets to ensure continuous retention and emotional safety. ○ Betweeners (Ages 12–14): Moving from pre-teen to teen dynamics. ○ Emergers (Ages 17–19): Navigating high school graduation and early adulthood. ○ The Up Club (Ages 23–25): High-impact support for young adults transitioning fully into independent living. 9 Specialized Care & Safety Nets 10 Clinical Counseling Services (Ages 5–29) ● Professional, Licensed Mental Health Care: In a world where safe therapy is scarce, Out Youth provides clinical healing. ○ Children & Families (Ages 5–11): Specialized individual play therapy and family counseling initialized to build resilient family units early. ○ Youth & Young Adults (Ages 12–29): High-quality, professional individual therapy addressing trauma, anxiety, and self-acceptance. ○ Couples & Systems Counseling: Supporting expanding relationship dynamics and choosing health. ○ Targeted Support Groups: Specialized circles including Teen Groups, an Adult Support Group (18+), and dedicated Caregiver Support Circles. 11 Family & Caregiver Ecosystems ● Supporting the Whole Family: We don't just support the youth, we equip the adults who love them. ○ Family Office Hours: Free virtual consults with staff therapists for parents seeking guidance, crisis navigating, or short-term resource mapping. ○ Caregiver Mentoring Program: Matching parents of newly out youth with seasoned, experienced mentors who have walked the path. ○ Caregiver Social Gatherings: Building community so parents never feel isolated or unsupported. 12 Community & Impact 13 Annual Community Traditions ● A Calendar of Joy and Celebration: ○ The Out Youth Teen Prom: Our flagship youth event (April) bringing together teens (ages 13-17) for a night of authentic, safe celebration. ○ Youth Pride Markets: Showcasing the entrepreneurial and artistic talents of local queer youth (Dates Vary). ○ Seasonal Traditions: Out Youth Birthday & Lavender Celebration (Spring), Pride Spook-Tacular (October), and the annual Giving Thanks Dinner & Youth Awards (November). 14 Proven Impact: By The Numbers ● Measurable Community Transformation: ○ 3,000+ Unique clients served across all agency programs annually. ○ 2,450+ In-person and virtual Drop-In Center visits recorded. ○ 2,700+ Professional, free clinical counseling sessions delivered to youth, young adults, and families. ○ 97% of participating youth report feeling more supported, affirmed, and safe at Out Youth than in any other environment in their lives. 15 How You Can Stand With Us 16 Ways to Get Involved Today ● Partner with Out Youth: ○ Sustaining Monthly Giving: Consistent monthly investments fuel our daily drop-in supplies, free therapy services, and crisis responses. Scan the QR code to the right to set up your recurring donation today! ○ The Glitz Gala (Annual November Event): Join our premier community gathering. Corporate sponsorships and table packages directly fund our expansion. ○ The Library Wishlist: Purchase affirming literature directly for the Jerry Strickland Jr. Memorial Library collection. 17 How the Commission Can Help ● Funding: ○ City Grants & Contracts: Social services contracts with the City have supported our free mental health services for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. Funding cuts jeopardize our stability and increase the time clients have to wait for therapy. ● Awareness: ○ Referrals: Invite us to your events, tell people about our programs and services, and share our posts on social media to expand our reach. ● Advocacy: ○ Be Loud for Our Youth: They don’t want to be told that “it gets better,” they want adults in positions to power to make things better now. Protect existing laws and ordinances and advocate for policies that will benefit all youth. 18 Questions, Answers, & Contact Information 19 Let’s Build a Safer Community Together ● Scan the QR code to the right then click the + button to add my information to your contacts, otherwise: Jaryn Holbrook Janeway, MBA, SHRM-SCP Executive Director | They/Them Email: jaryn@outyouth.org Work Cell: 512-910-5172 20