TLR Board of Directors: Member

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Established in 2010, The Living Room (TLR) works to improve life for LGBTQ+ youth from middle school to age 20 in Clackamas County. Through this work we have seen youth leaders flourish and the local community strengthen. As a small yet dynamic organization, our Board of Directors remains a key component of our success and driving force in our future growth. It is rewarding to watch our efforts make such a significant impact both in individual youth and in larger organizations like schools and cities. It is exciting to encourage youth voice by having a visible and directly involved board. We also strive for continued engagement of all our leaders by working to align roles with individual passions, interests, and skill sets.

We focus on serving youth in suburban and rural communities using a two-pronged approach:

1. Utilizing a blend of peer-delivered services and youth-adult partnerships, TLR

supports LGBTQ+ youth through direct programming and annual events.

• Drop-in: TLR provides regularly-scheduled peer-mediated safe spaces for queer youth and their allies in cities such as Oregon City, Estacada, and Canby and soon to expand to Lake Oswego
  • GSA Summit: Annual January conference with workshops and break out sessions for Clackamas County GSA’s and their advisors
  • Alt Prom: A free and safe alternative for our queer youth and allies to celebrate prom
  • Pride: Annual pride picnic in Clackamas County and participation in Portland’s Pride parade
  1. TLR seeks to increase acceptance of LGBTQ+ youth in the county through a combination of community education and partnerships with school administrations, including support of and advocacy for local GSAs in county middle and high schools.

  To continue this work, The Living Room is looking to expand our Board of Directors in 2020!

  TLR’s Board of Directors is an all-volunteer, hard-working and hands-on board and therefore entails some specific requirements for its members:

  • A time commitment of 3-5 hours per week on average
  • Virtual attendance at Board of Directors meetings the fourth Thursday evening of every month
  • Attendance at one youth drop-in per quarter and interaction with youth at events, virtual and in-person opportunities available
  • Attendance at fundraising events and TLR-sponsored activities (GSA Summit, Alt Prom, Pride activities)
  • A meaningful-to-you financial contribution annually
  • Adherence to legal mandatory reporter requirements
  • Ability to pass a criminal background check

  As TLR continues to grow there are specific needs for members with expertise in the following areas:

  • Fundraising, grant writing
  • Youth programing and services
  • Volunteer program development
  • Equity, diversity, and inclusion lens
  • Bookkeeping, financial management
  • Networking, public relations, social media
  • Human resources, operations knowledge
  • • Personnel/board member recruitment and retention
    • Database management

    Interested in becoming part of The Living Room’s Board of Directors?

    Here is a glance at our Board of Directors applicant process:

    • August 15-30: Intro to TLR, aka learn more about why we are so passionate about the work we do and how we do it. Chat individually with the current board chair to learn more about TLR and share your personal areas of interest and skill.
    • September 1: Application Deadline and Background Check. If you are interested in becoming a member, applications will be emailed to you for completion. They must be received by this date to be considered. The application process includes a state background check.
    • Interview. Each candidate will be interviewed by a sitting board member.
    • Volunteer Training. Each prospective board member must go through volunteer training. This allows an intimate knowledge of TLR programming, what is expected of our volunteers, and prepares you as a board member for attending drop-ins and other youth involved events.
    • Attend drop-in. Each prospective board member must attend at least one drop-in. This will give you a glimpse into our programming and experience with our youth. We believe it is vitally important that our Board of Directors has active knowledge regarding the youth we serve.
    • September 24 or October 22: Board Meeting. Attend a board meeting and see the Board of Directors in action. This is the time to see if the Board fits with you and if you fit with the Board. Come ready to ask and answer questions regarding what it means to be part of TLR’s Board of Directors!
    • Vote: During a closed session at the end of the second board meeting you attend, the Board of Directors will take an official vote and let you know via email within a week regarding your Board of Director membership.
    • First Board Meeting as an official board member!
    If you are interested in being a part of The Living Room community as a board member, please email Crystal: crystal@thelivingroomyouth.org or complete form: https://forms.gle/b2C69M5LNibgy11J8