Center Blog

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Avallone as the Center’s new Director of Youth Services. In this capacity, she will oversee our Youth Enrichment Services (YES) program staff and the coordination, implementation and delivery of the spectrum of educational, developmental, prevention and support interventions offered by YES.

Avallone is a social worker with an extensive history of providing support and advocacy to the LGBT community. Most recently she served as Director of Member Services & Outreach at the Rainbow Heights Club, the only government funded psychosocial club specifically geared toward serving LGBT adults living with mental illness.

Avallone’s professional career included a year-long internship with the Center’s Adult Services Department in 2003-2004. Since that time she has continued to facilitate groups for the Center’s Gender Identity Project, primarily focusing on support for partners of transgender people. She began her career in social services as an advocate for young people living on the streets and in shelters in Seattle, Washington. 

“Avallone brings a powerful history, enormous energy and commitment to the mission of the Center,” said Carrie Davis, Director of Community Services. “She will be a genuine resource in the work we continue to do.”

This change comes in the context of the development of the new Community Services Department that began in the fall of 2010. The new Community Services Department is working to improve participant services through freer internal transfers of talents and resources, and expanding program reach and infrastructure to better serve our communities. The department is also developing new services designed to address the needs of underserved or “gap” populations and enhance our focus on the Center’s mission and strategic plan.

The New York City Department of Education has designated February 14 -18 as “Respect For All Week” in all NYC public schools. As part of that effort the Youth Enrichment Services (YES) program of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is offering special programming to engage high school students on the importance of respecting each other and raising awareness about bullying and harassment.  The (YES) Program will lead tours of the Center and highlight its role in the LGBT movement. Students will learn about the resources we provide, including leadership programming and opportunities for youth to create safer school environments.

We also invite teachers to bring their students to our monthly Safe School Network Meetings. These meetings, facilitated by our Safe Schools interns, bring together high school students from across the city to exchange ideas about school safety and learn to start Gay and Straight Alliances. The next Safe School Meeting Dates are March 11 and April 1 from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM at the Center.

Tonight, February 17, the Center is also dedicating our newest permanent art installation. Titled “First Impressions,” this mural was conceived and created by (YES) participants under the theme of equality and diversity and in partnership with the Groundswell Community Mural Project and Farrow & Ball Paint. The mural is located in our Family Services Room.  

If you are interested in learning more about our youth leadership programming and the Safe Schools Internship, please contact The Center’s Youth Enrichment Services program at 212-620-7310.