A Lesson Plan from Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit

Purpose: To encourage teens to clarify and explore their personal attitudes and values and to become comfortable with listening to and understanding opinions different from their own

Materials: A copy of the leader's resources, Training Tips and Value Statements; newsprint and markers
Time: 40 minutes

Planning Notes:

• Values education consists of four important steps that help youth to: identify their values; feel able to talk about their values; behave in ways that are consistent with their values; and respect others' values. Values education can be a sensitive area for working with anyone of any age. As young people express their values and learn about those of others, they may feel some anxiety or discomfort, and they will look to the facilitator for support. See the Leader's Resource, Training Tips, for guidance on leading this activity.
• The activities in this session provide opportunities for young people to identify their values and to share them with their peers. This is a very important activity so allow plenty of time for participants to process what they have learned.
• If you completed Lesson Plan: Creating Group Agreement , then remind the youth about the ground rules they agreed to follow. If no ground rules have been agreed upon, it might be useful to spend a few minutes getting youth to set some ground rules at the beginning of this activity.
• Create three signs. One will say AGREE; the second will say UNSURE; and the third will say DISAGREE. Put up the signs in separate parts of the room.

Procedure:

This activity will give the participants a chance, not only to discuss their individual values, but also to discuss the merits of different values.

• Explain to the group that in this activity they will be asked to express their feelings about particular values. Show the youth where you have posted the signs—AGREE, DISAGREE, and UNSURE. Explain to the group that you are going to read several value statements. As you read each one, you want them to think very carefully about how they feel about it. Each person will then move to the section of the room where the sign agrees with how they feel about that value statement.
• Say that you will ask for volunteers to describe how they feel about each statement, since one characteristic of a value is that a person can tell others about it. Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers, only opinions. Everyone has a right to express an opinion, and no one will be put down for having a different value than others have. Be sure to mention that participants have the right to pass if they would rather not take a stand on a particular value statement. Also, point out that passing is not the same as being unsure. Finally, let everyone know that they can change their stand on any particular value at any time. For example, some participants might feel that they disagree with a particular value but change their minds if someone else makes a good case for agreeing with that value.
• Ask everyone to return to their original seats. Conclude with the Discussion Questions below.

Discussion Questions:

1. What did you learn about yourself? About others?
2. Was it hard to express disagreement with another person's values? Why or why not?
3. Were there times when you felt uncomfortable or unsafe? What helped you stand by your values at that time?
4. Were there any times when you felt unable to stand for your values? Why do you think that was so?
5. What would support people at times when they feel unable to stand up for a value they believe in?

* Adapted from Guide to Implementing TAP: A Peer Education Program to Prevent HIV and STI (2nd edition), © 2002, Advocates for Youth, Washington, DC.

Reprinted from Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit, Girl's Best Friend Foundation and Advocates for Youth, © 2005.

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