BRAVE TRAILS
WHERE LGBTQ YOUTH FIND THEIR PEOPLE, PLACE, AND PASSION.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
LGBTQ youth aren't often taught the leadership skills they crave to fight for social justice, transform their community and find the power in their story and their voice.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
LGBTQ Youth Summer Camp
Leadership summer camp for LGBTQ youth ages 11-18. Campers come from all over the country and the world to learn leadership skills they take back to their communities. Camp is a safe, affirming space where youth can explore their identities and the outdoors at the same time!
Queer Therapy for LGTBQ Youth
Currently provided to youth located in California, our therapists are trained specifically in issues facing Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and Questioning Youth. These virtual therapy sessions provide youth with the support and tools they need to thrive.
Where we work
Awards
Program Excellence Award 2017
American Camping Association
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of campers enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
LGBTQ people, Adolescents
Related Program
LGBTQ Youth Summer Camp
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In summer 2021, we served 232 youth at in-person camp, which was also a reduced capacity due to COVID. 2020 numbers were lower due to COVID and the move to a virtual camp.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
LGBTQ people
Related Program
LGBTQ Youth Summer Camp
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2022 volunteers numbers slightly down from 2021 as we were able to pay additional core staff members. 2020 Volunteer numbers were lower due to COVID and a move to virtual summer camp.
Amount of financial aid awarded to attend LGBTQ+ youth leadership summer camp.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
LGBTQ Youth Summer Camp
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Brave Trails aims to give LGBTQ youth a safe space where they learn that they are loved and valued; where they are free to express their true selves and explore issues of gender, sexuality and identity without judgment; where they learn about the history and culture of the LGBTQ community; and where they gain the leadership skills they need to fight for change in their personal communities, schools and cities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We provide a 10 day immersive leadership summer camp programs where LGBTQ youth from across the country and the world experience a utopia of radical acceptance and empowerment. Campers are surrounded by like-minded peers in a close-knit community where judgments and bullying are outlawed and respect for all identities is the law of the land. Community members and LGBTQ organizations lead workshops designed to give youth education and training in the following areas: queer history and culture; social justice; tools for starting queer alliances in their schools; legal advice on LGBTQ rights in schools and the workplace; combatting bullying; self-love and mindfulness; safe sex education; and much more.
Additionally, Brave Trails offers mental health therapy for California-based LGTBQ+ youth with therapists trained in LGBTQ+ issues to further provide safe and affirming support to youth.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The executive leadership team has many years of experience working and volunteering for local LGBTQ youth organizations, including The LA Gay and Lesbian Center, Lifeworks, The Trevor Project and more.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Brave Trails hosted it's first leadership camp in 2015 with one week and 43 campers. In our 9th summer in 2022, we welcomed over 400 campers for 6 weeks of camp in both California and Maryland, lovingly supported by over 100 volunteer staff.
Additionally, we now host two annual Family Camp weekends for LGBTQ families, a mental health program, monthly local meetups for LGBTQ youth and annual reunions. In 2021, we added a backpacking program for LGTQ+ youth to continue connecting them to nature in a leadership oriented and identity-affirming environment.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
BRAVE TRAILS
Board of directorsas of 10/10/2023
Steven Jaworski
Michael Carney
Carla Hacken
Laura Newman
Steven Jaworski
Alex Moroch
Carla Hacken
Omar Torres
Jessica Weissbuch
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/10/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.