Outside the Lines —
A Safe Place for LGBTQ Youth

Outside the Lines is a community-based, community-focused, drop-in youth support group, serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in Kankakee and Iroquois Counties. The program offers a safe place for youth to meet and collaborate, discuss, create, and learn by networking with a variety of community resources.

The goal is to develop these young people as leaders and advocates in their homes, schools, and workplaces, as they find their place in the community.

Growing up in rural areas like Kankakee and Iroquois Counties can be challenging for LGBTQ youth. Many move away, often to a more accepting and diverse city, the first chance they get. Outside the Lines aims to provide a safe place for support, information, and fun, as well as to create a network of resources specific to LGBTQ youth, and, hopefully, divert them from mental health issues, juvenile justice systems, and homelessness.

In addition to a support group, Outside the Lines offers safe, fun group activities that integrate the youth into their communities and provide positive recreational outlets. A curriculum of educational topics specific to LGBTQ youth is also available to youth.

Admissions