Prism Leadership Initiative
Our latest project in development, the Prism Leadership Initiative, will give LGBTQ+ youth in their later high-school years the opportunity to build people skills, get hands-on experience in nonprofit and advocacy work, and connect with local LGBTQ+ trailblazers through a pre-collegiate empowerment program. The Leadership Initiative will equip passionate young changemakers with the insights and resources they need to turn their ideas into impact, cultivating leadership skills that will supplement their academic and vocational aspirations.
Leadership Initiative Opportunities
Build Solidarity
Join a Prism staff member to volunteer for or learn about another local organization.
Co-pilot an Activity
Plan, workshop, and co-lead an activity with a facilitator for the Prism Teens or Prism Preteens program.
Create Content
Design graphics, make art, or shoot photos/videos for use on Prism’s social media pages and promotional material.
Give a Presentation
Raise awareness about a topic or issue, starting with a proposal and culminating in a presentation at Prism Teens.
Inspire the Team
Boost team morale by sharing messages of gratitude and encouragement with Prism staff, volunteers, and supporters.
Interview an Elder
Sit down with a facilitator and a member of the local community to learn more about LGBTQ+ history.
Spread the Word
Help set up, manage, and teardown the Prism info & merch table at outreach events.
Support a Facilitator
Assist with youth room preparation, data management, cleanup, and other facilitator task work.
Watch the Littles
Volunteer for Prism’s childcare program for 4-9 year olds during Prism Families gatherings.
Enrollment and Fulfillment of Program
Members of the Prism Teens program ages 16-18 will be eligible to enroll in the Prism Leadership Initiative. Participants will be paired with a member of the Prism Team who will serve as an advisor throughout the participant’s involvement in the program. Fulfillment of the program will require participants to attend check-ins with their advisor and complete 50 volunteer hours consisting of any combination of the above initiative opportunities. Upon fulfilling the program, participants will receive a Program Achievement Letter from their advisor, a certificate, and special recognition at the next scheduled Prism Celebrates event.
Leaders of Our Future
We’ve been dreaming about this program for a very long time, and we couldn’t be more excited to begin offering it in the Fall of 2024. We know that many of the teens going through our programs are looking towards college and wondering what opportunities await them. The Leadership Initiative accomplishes two things at once for college-bound youth: it allows them to report volunteer hours (with a thoughtfully written letter from Prism!), and it builds competency around LGBTQ+ nonprofit work, which will supplement a number of undergraduate degrees, including social work, psychology, education, political science, criminology, and more. Beyond its benefits for students-to-be, we see the Leadership Initiative as a way to lift up our local LGBTQ+ leaders of the future, planting seeds for lasting cultural progress in southwest Alabama.