Out Youth provides a safe place and mentoring opportunities for around 300 sexual minority youth annually. The majority of our programs and services are offered in our drop in center. The Out Youth house is the "home" for our Out Youth family, providing a great mix of warmth and security.

The activities that are held in the drop in center can vary a lot depending on what youth are most interested in. An annual retreat with youth and adults helps to define the primary areas of interest for the coming year's programs. We've listed some of the most common activities and recent examples of other types below. For information on other kinds of activities, please follow the other links at the right.

Mentoring and Education: Many sexual minority youth have experienced severe rejection from the people they would normally look to as role models. At our drop-in-center, trained adult staff members, volunteers, and interns act as role models. They are there to listen, encourage, and provide a safe place for youth to talk about their lives. Educational and psycho-educational programming during drop in nights provide youth with information on safe sex, self-esteem, building healthy relationships, coming out, career and education planning, anger management, self-defense, and other resources for youth in the Central Texas area. All of the youth that attend our drop-in-center participate in these programs. Our 1,500-volume gay and lesbian lending library contains books for youth, parents, and educators. It also houses an iMac computer so that youth have access to email and the Internet.

Social and Recreational Activities: Out Youth organizes an annual alternative prom attended by more than 150 youth. This event is planned, organized, and carried out by the youth with support from staff and volunteers. Out Youth also provides social gatherings such as cookouts throughout the summer, park and movie nights, and monthly birthday celebrations. "Expeditions" is our outdoor program which includes organized activities such as hiking, swimming, and biking. For other physical and healthy activities, youth can participate in "Team Out Youth" programs including yoga, running, and other physical fitness activities. Our "Out on the Town" program includes bowling, arcades, go karts, and other fun social outings around town.

Creative Arts: Out Youth also organizes an annual talent show in which youth have the opportunity to explore and embellish their gifts and to perform in different areas: singing, dancing, painting, photography, poetry, comedy, and theatrical performance. We conduct periodic writing workshops to allow youth with an interest in writing to develop their skills in a focused way. Throughout the year, Out Youth provides workshops in other creative arts areas to enhance the youth’s capacities and talents.