Our Programs

We built Rainbow Labs’ programming on guiding values that support creating intentional and innovative concepts. Constantly evolving, we want all of our programming to meet our youth's most relevant and immediate needs.

Guiding Values

Youth Voice

We aim always to be youth voice-centered where all our youth have the opportunity to support creating new lab ideas and provide ongoing feedback on existing labs. When giving youth the space to feel safe and supported, we can produce the most innovative and intentional programming concepts.

Evidence-Based Research

We believe in pulling from the latest evidence-based research to support our programming methodology. We look to research on mentoring, youth development, mental health, and supportive services to guide our theory of change. To stay relevant, we work alongside coalitions, nonprofits, and universities to support guiding the selection of best practices from evidence based research. Research not only shows up in our programming model but also provides the necessary context for our staff and mentor trainings.

Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma-informed Care recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role trauma may play in an individual's life- including service staff. Trauma-Informed Care shows up in delivering all our programs, from how we train our mentors to the kinds of programming we offer. We know mentoring can have amplifying effects when we build the foundation on trauma-informed care concepts.

Current Programing

Story Telling Lab

Youth take a journey with their mentors through the power of storytelling. What are storytelling arcs? How can I use the power of my story in other parts of my life? What moments in your life make great stories. Youth will learn new methods and approaches to identifying true, engaging personal stories that they might not have realized they had in them. We end this lab with a storytelling showcase where both mentors and youth will have the opportunity to share their newly developed stories.

Accelerator Lab

Have you ever thought of the next breakthrough idea? Are you someone who loves to problem solve? This lab activates all of those thoughts! In this lab, youth team up and imagine the next great idea. They will learn to be fearless, open up, say yes, make stuff, and bet small. Youth also meet QGNC Professionals from major Fortune 500 companies such as Hilton, American Airlines, Sony Entertainment, and Twitter. At the end of lab, youth present with their teams at a Demo Day showcasing to an audience their new ideas.

LGBTQ+ Youth Council

The Rainbow Labs Youth Council is a group of 11-13 youth, ages 13-18, from the LGBTQIA+ community, who convene to build community, learn leadership and problem-solving skills, and advise Rainbow Labs staff and board members on recruitment and program strategy. Youth come from all over the Los Angeles area from underserved communities to create positive relationships with other queer youth and queer mentors. 

Their service learning project is an opportunity to apply their teamwork, problem-solving skills, and leadership to a project that benefits the community. The project creates a tangible outcome (mural, garden, presentation, training) that can live on after the youth have graduated from the program.

The four pillars of the youth council are social-emotional & wellness, financial literacy, college readiness, workforce development, and queer community and history. 

  • Financial Literacy: Youth will learn to set goals, budget, save, spend, and get an introduction to what credit i.

  • College Bound: Youth will start to learn about attending college. We will have speakers with lived experience and panels that discuss some challenges but begin to build tangible goals and explore different possibilities.

  • Workforce Readiness: The program will delve into career exploration, mentoring, work-based learning, and workforce opportunities like internships or leadership opportunities.

  • Social-Emotional Workshops: Youth will receive workshops to gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals. Youth will learn how to empathize with others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions through informal and formal opportunities.

  • Queer Community & History: Youth will learn about the history of queer culture and some of the significant moments and advocates in queer history such as Coopers Donuts, Jeanne Cordova, GLUU, and more! They will also learn about current resources and communities continuing to do important work for the queer community. 

Sports Lab

LGBTQ+ Youth Sports Clinics

It can be challenging to be part of the queer and gender nonconforming community - from bullying and confusion about who you are - to feeling lost. We hope that by connecting to other youth like you and inspiring mentors, you can walk away with a better sense of belonging and connection to our community.

What if you are curious and don’t know if you identify as a community member? We recognize that life is a journey, and figuring out your identity is a marathon - not a sprint. That’s why we open all our programming to youth who want to explore their identities. If you finish the program and don’t identify - you’ve still made friends, gained mentorship, and become an advocate for our community. 

LGBTQ+ Youth Softball Team

In partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation through their Dodgers DreamTeam Program, youth participate in a nine-week softball program with their LGBTQ+ coach mentors.

How do you play softball?
How can both the physical and mental benefits of sports support me?
Who are sports leaders in the LGBTQ+ community?
Youth do not need prior experience in softball to participating.
All youth will gain both sports and life skills through this program.

We end this lab with a celebration jam where both coach mentors and youth will have the opportunity to celebrate their season’s successes.

Past Programming

 

One Bold Summer 2021

In the summer of 2021 we launched One Bold Summer a 9 week summer mentoring program for QGNC youth (ages 13-17) in Los Angeles. 50 QGNC Youth paired with 10 QGNC Mentors for a summer filled activities that inspire youth to be bold, discover their true selves, create supportive relationships, and take risks.

Twice a week, youth met in their teams with their mentors virtually and once a week get an opportunity to connect further one-on-one with their mentors. We hosted three in-person events for youth and mentors to engage in. Youth and mentors went through our two labs summer – Story Telling Lab & Accelerator Lab. By the end of the summer youth will built an extensive network of QGNC peers and QGNC adults.