ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Safe Space Partner Organizations » Megan Carney, About Face Youth Theatre » Advocates for Youth » Chicago Foundation for Women » Lesley Kennedy, Chicago Girls' Coalition » Shannon Kenney, Coalition for Education on Sexual Orientation » Cornerstone Consulting Group » Crossroads Fund » Gay-Straight Alliance Network » Christina Kappaz & Yasmin Ahmed, Girl's Best Friend Foundation » GLSEN of Colorado » Health Initiatives for Youth » Jane Palmer, Illinois Center for Violence Prevention » Cat Quinn, Latina Girls' Club and Lakeview School-Based Health Center » Links, North Shore Youth Health Services » National Gay and Lesbian Task Force » Jorge Valdivia, Radio Arte » Transgender Law Center » Tammy Ko Robinson, Video Machete

Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit [PDF]

Welcome to this special section of Advocates for Youth's Web site on creating safe space for young people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Because homophobia is a real problem, for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) and straight youth, this online toolkit is intended to assist you, the youth-serving professional, in:

• Educating Youth to Understand and Support Their GLBTQ Peers—The nuts and bolts of building allies for GLBTQ youth. Pick and choose from 12 lesson plans.
• Redressing Homophobia and Creating Awareness among Your Staff—A blueprint for creating safe space in your organization. Read tips and strategies on what you can do.
• Becoming a GLBTQ Ally Yourself—Additional resources on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Nuts and Bolts: Lesson Plans for Building Allies for GLBTQ Youth

The following lesson plans assist young people in, first, understanding the negative impact of homophobia and transphobia on GLBTQ youth and, second, in taking a stand for social justice. The activities can also be conducted with staff and volunteers. You can pick and choose the lesson plans most relevant for your program’s participants. Bolded lesson plans listed below are those that are the most important for building allies for GLBTQ youth.

• Warming Up
  • Lesson Plan: Creating Group Agreement
  • Lesson Plan: Drawing Conclusions: An Ice-Breaker
  • Lesson Plan: Four Corners: A Values Clarification Exercise
  • Lesson Plan: Who Am I?
• Building Knowledge and Understanding
  • Lesson Plan: Introduction to Sexual Orientation
  • Lesson Plan: Introduction to Gender Identity and Gender Expression
  • Lesson Plan: Q & A on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
  • Lesson Plan: Heterosexual Questionnaire
• Taking Action for Social Justice
  • Lesson Plan: Make Your Voice Heard!
  • Lesson Plan: Addressing Discrimination
  • Lesson Plan: What Can I Do to Create Safe Space
  • Lesson Plan: How to Be a Super Activist and/or Ally

The Blueprint: Tips and Strategies for Creating Safe Space in Your Organization

Because homophobia is a real problem, for GLBTQand straight youth, the following tips and strategies aim to help service providers create a climate in their organization that will make everyone feel safe.

• Tips and Strategies for Assessing Youth Programs and Agencies
• Tips and Strategies for Creating a Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: Recommendations from the Safe Space Resource Circle
• Tips and Strategies for Creating Inclusive Programs
• Tips and Strategies for Taking Steps to Cultural Fairness
• Tips and Strategies for Addressing Harassment
• Tips and Strategies for Meeting the Needs of GLBTQ Youth of Color
• Tips and Strategies for Meeting the Needs of Transgender Youth
• Tips and Strategies for Addressing the Challenges that Face Transgender Youth

Additional Resources on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

• How the Homophobic Climate in the United States Affects GLBTQ Youth
• GLBTQ Youth [The Facts]
• Select Organizations, Web Sites, Videos, and Books
• Glossary
• Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Education: Abandoning Responsibility to GLBTQ Youth
• Frequently Asked Questions about Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
• Test Yourself: Definition Match-Up
• References

Source/Citation:
Girl's Best Friend Foundation and Advocates for Youth. Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit. Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth, 2005. [PDF file]

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