Check-In
Thursday nights, 7-8PM (Community Dinner at 6PM)
Check-in is Oasis’ oldest and longest running program. Come join us every Thursday at 7 pm for a peer to peer discussion about your week and what’s going on in the world. We have done check-in every Thursday for 25 years – help us keep the tradition!
If you or a group you are involved with would like to help sponsor community dinner once a month, please contact us.
Oasis Peer Education Network! (O.P.E.N!)
3rd Friday of the Month, 7-8PM
O.P.E.N. is a group of Oasis members who are educating themselves and their peers about sexual assault prevention and sexual violence in the LGBT community. O.P.E.N. combines media literacy, critical thinking, and peer advocacy to challenge the role of power, control, and oppression within the LGBTQ community. Our goal is to create a community whose members enjoy healthy relationships, high self esteem, and improved communication skills.
Past O.P.E.N. Program Topics include Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery, Indigenous Youth Movements, Healthy Relationships, Explorations of Gender and Identity, Intersectional Feminism, and more.
Come check us out at the next O.P.E.N.!
Open Mic
4th Saturday of the Month, 7-8PM
Waiting for the right opportunity to share your talent? Here’s your chance! Open Mic offers queer youth the space to perform in front of their peers in a welcoming and supportive environment. Participate in one of many fun Open Mic themes including poetry slams, traditional open mic, queer jeopardy, lip-sync battle, drag shows, and more!
During Open Mic nights, participation is optional but fun is mandatory. Come see what all the fuss is about at our next Open Mic!
Art Night
2nd Saturday of the Month, 7-8PM
It is often said that one of the greatest strengths amongst queer youth is their creativity. Art Night is an excellent opportunity to dive deeper into developing your art skills, learn about queer artists, and most importantly, practice self-expression.
Come join us at our next Art Night and connect with other youth just like you!
Rainbow Yoga
1st and 3rd Saturdays of the Month, 6:30-7:30PM
Have you been looking for a way to relieve stress in your life? If so, come try out Rainbow Yoga at Oasis! Oasis partners with local providers to provide free and accessible classes led by qualified, trauma-informed instructors that will be sure to leave you more relaxed than you arrived. Whether you are looking for a challenge or just a way to maintain your bliss, Rainbow Yoga is a great option for meeting new people and deepening your individual practice in a non-judgmental setting. All levels of experience welcome.
Queer, Trans, Intersex Youth of Color (QTIYOC) Night
Every Tuesday, 5-8PM
Are you tired of feeling like an outsider within your own community? QTIYOC Night at Oasis is a special time to connect with other youth without feeling like you need to choose amongst multiple communities you belong to. QTIYOC Night at Oasis is led by volunteers and staff who reflect the diversity of the youth.
Leadership Programs
Youth Council
Mondays, 5-8:30PM
Do you love having a place like Oasis in your community? We do too! But Oasis could not be what it is today without queer youth leading the way for building a supportive, healthy, and thriving community. So… are YOU ready to give back? If that’s a YES, then join the Oasis Youth Council where you can get community service hours for school or strengthen your leadership skills for future employment opportunities. In 4 months, you’ll learn what it’s like to plan large-scale events such as Queer Prom (ours is the biggest in the state!), facilitate a wide variety of youth programs, and find out what it’s like to be a part of something bigger. Youth Council members will receive a monetary stipend for their participation and exclusive once-in-a-lifetime opportunities!
Contact Oasis today to find out how you can join Youth Council! (If 4-months is too big of a commitment for you right now, check out our Queer Leaders program!)
Queer Leaders Training
Come into Oasis to see when the next training is happening!
Do you love having a place like Oasis in your community? We do too! But Oasis could not be what it is today without queer youth leading the way for building a supportive, healthy, and thriving community. So… are YOU ready to give back? As a Queer Leader, you can get community service hours for school or strengthen your leadership skills for future employment opportunities. You can also be eligible for exclusive opportunities, events, and programs! Contact Oasis today to see when the next training is happening!
Project 13
Wednesdays, 4PM-7PM
Project 13 is an Oasis program specifically for queer and questioning middle school youth ages 11-14 in the South Puget Sound. Our program offers youth a safe space to gather, learn, and connect with peers for eight consecutive weeks during after-school hours.
During Project 13, youth can look forward to weekly activities and discussions facilitated by staff and volunteers where they can build positive self-identity, community support, and critical thinking skills around consent, healthy relationships, and healthy decision-making.
Because these program topics build on one another, youth involved in Project 13 must attend all 8 weeks to get the most out of this program. We ask that families commit to this first 8-week time-frame. After this 8-week cycle, we will continue to offer activity-based programming on Wednesdays prior to the start of our next cycle with new youth.
While in the target ages of 11-14, youth are encouraged to stay involved with Project 13 through as many program cycles as they like. Our curriculum will discuss topics in different ways, with new activities and angles to frame our discussions through. Youth will get something new out of each 8-week cycle they participate in!
To join, volunteer, or get involved with Project 13, you can email us at project13@oasisyouthcenter.org or set up an intake here.
Oasis Leadership Summit
Semi-annually
The Oasis Leadership Summit is a 3-day, 2-night leadership summit camp held once every couple of years in the month of November at YMCA Camp Seymour, located at 9725 Cramer Road KpN, Gig Harbor, WA 98329. The Leadership Summit is for queer youth ages 14-24 and adult volunteers who are interested in building individual and community leadership skills and serving our mission of transforming the lives of queer youth by creating a safe space for queer youth to learn, connect, and thrive.
Participants of the event will get to experience various community and skill-building activities aimed at preparing our participants for continuing their leadership at home. Participants will have multiple opportunities to take new risks and cultivate their leadership skills, whether this is their first step towards being a leader or one of many!
Participation is based on a first come, first serve basis. In addition, all participants must agree to a background check. Our maximum capacity for the previous Leadership Summit was 60 youth and 30 adult volunteers. If you want to attend, please contact Oasis to become a member and to receive more updates on the event. Applications will be available at the end of September. We look forward to experiencing the 2020 Leadership Summit with you!
Queer, Trans, Intersex Youth of Color (QTIYOC) Retreat
Semi-Annually
The Queer, Trans, Intersex Youth of Color (QTIYOC) Retreat is a 3-day, 2-night self-care and leadership retreat held every couple of years. The QTIYOC Retreat is for queer youth ages 14-24 and adult volunteers who also identify within a community of color, interested in building individual and community leadership skills, and serving our mission of transforming the lives of queer youth by creating a safe space for queer youth to learn, connect, and thrive.
Participants of the event will get to experience various community and skill-building activities aimed at preparing our participants for continuing their leadership at home. Participants will have multiple opportunities to take new risks and cultivate their leadership skills, whether this is their first step towards being a leader or one of many!
Participation is based on a first come, first serve basis. In addition, all participants must agree to a background check. Our maximum capacity for the previous QTIYOC Retreat was 20 youth and 10 adult volunteers. If you want to attend, please contact Oasis to become a member and to receive more updates on the event. We look forward to experiencing the 2021 Leadership Summit with you!
INFO
- 253.671.2838
- oasis@oasisyouthcenter.org
- 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402
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Office hours by appointment: M-F 11am - 4pm
Drop-In hours: Th-Sat 4pm - 10pm
About oasis
Crisis hotlines
- Victim Support Services 24-hr Crisis Hotline: 1.800.346.7555
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Pierce County 24-hr Crisis Hotline:
1.800.576.7764 -
Oasis Youth Center 24-hr Crisis Hotline:
1.253.988.2108
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