We are so excited to officially announce our brand new Youth Under the Rainbow Programming!
As previously announced we have received a generous two-year Children Initiatives grant from the Lyle S. Hallman foundation. This grant has allowed us to create the Youth Under the Rainbow program, provide Rainbow Diversity Training to our organizational partners, and hire a full-time coordinator to lead this wonderful work.
Spectrum has noticed a need for safe and supportive spaces, particularly for 2SLGBTQ+ children ages 4-12. As such our Youth Under the Rainbow Programming looks to meet this need by partnering with some wonderful organizations including the Waterloo Public Library, Kitchener Public Library, The Region of Waterloo Public Libraries, Idea Exchange in Cambridge, and Artshine.
We are thrilled to announce that our first program will be starting from May 6th – June 10 at Artshine! This Program will run every Saturday from 10-11:30 am. Registration is open now.
Our Artshine Program will be a FREE registered program for 2SLGBTQ+ children and allies ages 8-12, to come and create art at Studio 44. We will be running this Program three times a year, each with six sessions. Due to space, we are only able to provide 15 spots a session, however, we encourage individuals to sign up for one or more sessions as we will be exploring colour through a wide range of mediums.
Our second style of programming is in collaboration with our wonderful public libraries which will provide free programming focusing on ages 4-10. These programs will focus on providing a safe and supportive space for 2SLGBTQ+ children, families, and allies to make some crafts, have fun making connections with others, and reading supportive and inclusive literature. Keep an eye out on our calendar, as many of these programs will be starting this July!
During programs, we will also be providing evaluation surveys to participants to give us feedback on this program, and how we might improve it. Data will be collected anonymously and shared with the community to see help us understand how these programs have affected the participants’ sense of belonging.
We can’t wait to see all of you! Make sure to keep an eye out on our calendar, for program dates. times, and locations.