"IOYS has given me the opportunity to be myself unapologetically and find people who are similar to me. The staff always listen and give me the time I need. I found my therapist with the help of staff at IOYS. In the space they have resources that can help all kinds of people for many different needs. The staff and the youth there are amazing and I feel less alone when I’m there in the presence of such amazing people.”

- Oliver (he/him)

IOYS young person, age 17 

Back-to-School Hours ✏️

It's back-to-school season so IOYS will be returning to our regular community center hours beginning Wednesday, August 5th with drop-ins from 3 to 5 PM and programs from 5 to 7 PM.

🌈 IOYS has had a record number of new enrollments!

One of our Brave Space Agreements at IOYS is to be radically welcoming, and we are proud to share that we've had 81 youth enrollments so far this year! That's a 33% increase from where we were at this time last year!

We're also excited to share that volunteers have contributed a record of 326 hours of volunteering in June!


Our community center has been super busy with lots of new and returning young people, so we're really grateful for our incredible staff and volunteers who work with all the new and returning young people in the community center. 

If you are or know a youth or young adult who is interested in joining the IOYS community, they can text or call (719)-315-1825 to schedule an enrollment with one of our incredible staff members.

If you are interested in becoming an IOYS volunteer, please complete our volunteer interest form here.

⭐ IOYS Youth Advisory Committee ⭐

MISSION STATEMENT


Hello, hello! This is Sticks (they/them) and Venus (they/he) and we are members of the Youth Advisory Committee (Y.A.C)! The Y.A.C. is a group of youth leaders that have dedicated themselves to provide and develop unity, inclusion, leadership, and self-advocacy on behalf of youth in El Paso County. The committee holds meetings once a month and comes together to plan events, create ideas, and host activities for youth in the space and make decisions that would best benefit Inside Out Youth Services.


WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON?

* The YAC recently hosted a YAC Takeover Week from July 14th to July 17th! Each day was filled with fun drop-in programs and activities hosted by our YAC- including Doodle N’ Talk, a Rock Band program, and a return of the infamous Glitter Games! Thank you to all who participated!

* We’ve updated our mission statement! Originally, our mission statement was to provide unity, inclusion, leadership, and self-advocacy on behalf of those who are not part of the YAC. But after some thoughtful discussion, the YAC agreed to update it to seem less like a clique and be more inclusive! All future newsletters will include our new mission statement, which can be read above!

* We’re still asking for art created by the space to be featured on our new YAC webpage to showcase the authenticity, creativity, and individuality expressed by our youth.

* Our YAC recently participated in a leadership training session hosted by the YCD (Youth Celebrating Diversity) on July 24th! We got to know the other participants through activities, discussions, and interesting conversations and were able to learn more about leadership. Thanks again to the YCD for hosting such a fun training!

* The YAC is currently learning about activism! This is so our members can hone in on new skills and expand their leadership abilities. There is more to come as the YAC learns more about activism!

* Our YAC had been invited to observe Inside Out’s Virtual Strategic Planning Meeting on July 27th from 4 to 5 PM! This was to see the process behind creating a strategic plan so we can develop our skills and start developing a strategic plan of our own. It was very interesting learning about the process and how to work as a collective!

CURRENT EVENTS

You're invited to join us for our Back-to-School Open House THIS Saturday, August 8th from 11 AM to 1 PM!

This would be a great time to connect with folks about resources, get a tour of the space from one of our YAC members, and and learn more about our services at IOYS, including our TransParenting group and the Pikes Peak Safe at Schools Coalition. PFLAG Colorado Springs and the Public Education Alliance will be present to offer resources. Be You Colorado will also be in attendance to offer free HIV/STI testing.

Plus, we'll have snacks and school supplies available! We hope to see you this Saturday!

IOYS is a part of the Families Not Politics campaign to combat ballot measures 109 and 110 and keep important decisions about kids' health and well-being between them, their families, and their doctors - not politicians. We are hosting a canvass after the open house on August 8th at 1:15 PM at Inside Out. We will provide a canvassing training before we pair up and knock on doors to talk to our neighbors about these ballot measures. 

August 10-14: As part of our collection of Back to School events, we will be hosting programs throughout the week of August 10th-14th. Keep an eye out as more information on these programs becomes available closer to August

Southern Colorado Listening Session on Aug 18 📣

Join One Colorado Tuesday, August 18 from 6 to 8 pm for a virtual community listening session as we gather with Southern Colorado residents to discuss the two anti-transgender ballot initiatives appearing on Colorado's November ballot.

The voices of rural and Southern Colorado communities are essential to shaping an effective, community-centered campaign. During this conversation, we'll create space for participants to share their perspectives, concerns, values, and experiences related to these initiatives and what messages resonate most with their neighbors.

This is not a debate or a campaign presentation; it's an opportunity for us to listen. Your feedback will help inform how One Colorado communicates with voters across rural Colorado and ensure our outreach reflects the values, priorities, and lived experiences of the communities most impacted.

Whether you're deeply involved in advocacy or simply want to share your perspective, we invite you to join us for an honest, respectful conversation. Together, we can build a campaign that reflects the voices of Coloradans across every corner of our state.

What to expect:

• A facilitated community conversation
• Opportunities to share your thoughts and experiences
• A respectful, welcoming environment

Your voice matters, and we hope you'll be part of the conversation.

🏳️‍⚧️ Trans Day of Play on Aug 28th ⚽

Our second Trans Day of Play will be on Friday, August 28th from 3 to 7 PM at the Hillside Community Center (925 S. Institute St.)!

This day is intentionally designed to encourage and remind our trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming young people that there is a place for them to play, be on a team, be with community, and have the experience of being involved in an activity without feeling like they don't belong.

There will be food, art, and field games for all! Young people, affirming families and chosen families, and IOYS volunteers are welcome; however, we kindly ask that you RSVP in advance.

✨ YOU'RE invited to Ally Up! 2026 ✨

YOU are invited to Inside Out’s Ally Up! Legacy Breakfast 🦄

We hope that you'll join us on Thursday, September 24 from 7 to 8:30 AM at the Antler's Hilton Hotel for this special event to celebrate where we’ve been, how we’ve grown, and where we’re headed next as we honor the moments, milestones, and people who shaped our journey.

Tickets are FREE; however, tickets are limited, so we suggest that you reserve your ticket TODAY!

We are also looking for TABLE CAPTAINS where you reserve an entire table of 10 and bring nine friends with you to Ally Up! in support of LGBTQIA1+ young people in our community.

We also have sponsorship opportunities available.

We're so excited for this fabulous breakfast, and we hope to see YOU there on September 24!

🫶 Donate to the IOYS food pantry 🫶

Donating food to IOYS has a huge impact on the young people we serve. So far since we opened our expanded food pantry last fall, 532 people have benefitted from our food pantry.

If you'd like to make a donation to help keep our food pantry stocked, please check out this wish list to donate to our food pantry.

And equally as important, our snack wish list for our community center.

When young folx don't have to worry about being hungry or stressed about where they can get their next meal, they have more capacity to be kids. Your donations make a difference.

Farewell, Gray! 💖

Please join us in thanking Gray (they/them) for their contributions to Inside Out Youth Services over the past two years. While we are excited for Gray as they move closer to family in Tulsa, we are sad to see them go.

Gray has played a vital role in cultivating donor relationships and engaging our community of supporters in the IOYS mission. Joining the organization during a period of transition, they remained steadfast in their commitment to building support for LGBTQIA2S+ youth and helping advance our work.

We are grateful for Gray’s dedication, positivity, and the joy they brought to the team each day. We will miss your energy, humor, and unwavering commitment to our mission.

Thank you, Gray, and we wish you all the best in this next chapter! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎💙🤍💗

Thank you, Sponsors!

Inside Out Youth Services (est. 1990) builds access, equity, and power with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer, intersex, asexual, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2+) youth ages 13-24 from Southern Colorado. By providing support systems, creating brave spaces, and teaching life skills to all youth in our community free of charge, we further the happiness and health of LGBTQIA2+ youth in the Colorado Springs vicinity.