QYou Program's Give Out Day

The Queer Youth Initiative of the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland is a robust and diverse set of youth programming developed to create a safe and affirming place for LGBTQ+ youth ages 11-20. QYou encapsulates all aspects of LGBTQ+ development by prioritizing the celebration of identities, providing an educational platform, highlighting opportunities through community partnerships, engaging activities, and ultimately—methods for youth to find confidence and a voice of their own. QYou provides youth with a network of support and opportunities to express themselves, make new friends, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. QYou directly serves The Center’s mission: To enrich the lives of the diverse LGBTQ+ community through support, education, advocacy, and celebration! 

Support: The QYou Drop-IN! is a safe space where vulnerable and diverse queer youth socialize, while receiving identity affirmation and peer-to-peer empowerment. 

Education: The QYou Leadership Development Institute (#PowerUpPowerOut) creates space for diverse youth to get information on how to become advocates of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as other marginalized populations, within their schools and communities. 

Advocacy: Youth who attend this series will be invited to The QYou Ambassadors to the LGBT Community Center, a diverse youth advocacy group that works to make social, cultural, and policy change for the community. 

Celebration: QYou Ambassadors are also given opportunities to give opinions and responsibilities during annual celebratory and diverse events such as Pride in the CLE and Queer Youth Prom, which we encourage all queer youth to participate in.