Mike Wolanin | The Republic An exterior view of the Doug Otto United Way Building in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023.
An Indianapolis organization serving LGBTQ+ youth is expanding to new locations, including Columbus.
Indiana Youth Group (IYG) has created a new satellite location based out of the Doug Otto United Way Center at 1531 13th St. The youth center had its grand opening on Thursday.
Director of Engagement Zoe O’Haillin-Berne said that the night went well, with staff estimating that about 12 youths showed up.
“Some people might see it as a small number, but it’s a really great number for starting out,” she said. “For example, we just opened a center in Crawfordsville back in June, and its opening night only had one youth. So we were very surprised to see how many youth were interested in Columbus, and we’ve had more parents reaching out to ask us about days and times so that they can get their kids involved down the line.”
AIYG was founded in 1987 by Chris Gonzalez and Jeffery Werner.
“Over the next 35 years, the organization grew from being a safer space and drop-in center to an organization that supported and advocated for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in all aspects of their life,” IYG officials said.
Columbus marks the second satellite location that the organization has opened this year, following the launch of the Crawfordsville center in June. Both centers are part of a five-year plan, announced in 2022, to open 10 new centers across the state.
Youth nights, which are for ages 12-19, will be held at the Columbus center from 4-8 p.m. on Thursdays. O’Haillin-Berne said these will range from “enriching” activities such as mindfulness practices to events such as movie nights.
According to the center’s social media, IYG Columbus’s activities and services will include mental health therapy, a food pantry, a clothing closet, gender affirming clothing, hygiene products, transportation assistance, game nights, crafts, cooking classes and movie nights.
A free meal is served at the center each week, and all services are free. All youth must have a valid ID.
O’Haillin-Berne added that the center will also provide both individual and group counseling, as well as case management “to help youth navigate various aspects of their life and strive to achieve their personal goals.”
Additionally, while the center’s youth nights and main programming are just for ages 12-19, individuals up to the age of 24 can schedule mental health therapy sessions that will take place at other times.
Straight and cisgender youth are also welcome at IYG.
“We are 100% open to allies, because like we said, support is a big part of it,” said O’Haillin-Berne. “So especially with LGBTQ+ students, many of their friends are likely to be cisgender and heterosexual, so of course we want them to feel safe to bring their friends. And even if there are straight and cis kids out there who don’t necessarily have a friend in the program, but they just need a place that they feel safe and open, our doors are open to everyone.”
She said IYG’s decision to add more centers was partially spurred by a report from a pediatrician in Crawfordsville who was seeing a large number of her LGBTQ+ patients attempt or contemplate suicide.
“It was heartbreaking to her that a lot of her patients thought the only way to escape discrimination and everything else that the LGBTQ+ youth community faces — they thought the only way out of that was to end their own lives,” she said.
The doctor’s concerns, along with feedback from other communities, made IYG realize that areas outside of Indianapolis needed support, she said.
After deciding to open a center in Crawfordsville, IYG searched for another location further south and east. O’Haillin-Berne said Columbus caught their eye because it already has a supportive LGBTQ+ community and annual Pride Festival.
As the youth center grows, they hope to eventually be open three days a week, if not more.
“It’s a fabulous space,” she added. “All the folks there have been just wonderful getting us set up, so we think that the program is going to be really successful in Columbus.”
Where to learn more
More information about the local center is available at the Indiana Youth Group Columbus Facebook page. For more information about IYG, go to indianayouthgroup.org.
