Make It A Summer of Service

By Sam Piha

Source: www.pexels.com

Afterschool summer programs are a great time to engage young people in activities that serve others. These could be community service projects (which are often unpaid) or service within the afterschool program, such as tutoring, mentoring, yard supervision, leading games, etc. (These can be unpaid or volunteer). Summer schedules are more flexible, we have longer days and there is usually good weather. These opportunities can be one time or 1 or more times a week. 

Below we cite some benefits of community service and volunteering, additional resources on community service ideas and other information to help get started engaging youth through volunteering. (If it is too late to include in your summer program, consider it for the fall program.)

“Teenagers are not only a valuable source of energy, goodwill and creativity, but they’re also the key to our future. Volunteering allows them to tap into all those values while also learning about the world around them.” – St. Louise Children’s Hospital, Teaching Teens the Importance of Community Service

Source: www.help4kidssc.org

Benefits 

There are many benefits that participants accrue when youth engage in community service and/or volunteering. Research has shown that teens who volunteer are:

• more responsible
• have higher self-esteem and greater self-confidence.
• gain skills such as leadership, good communication, time management and decision making.  
• more likely to build connections with others. 
• more likely to do well in school, graduate, vote and build a stronger resume for college and scholarship applications.
• 50% less likely to abuse alcohol, cigarettes, become pregnant, or engage in other destructive behavior.
• gain practical life skills while feeling valued and appreciated. 
• less depressed, experience increased positive emotions, and experience reduced stress.

Source: www.goodfreephotos.com

“The Dalai Lama said it best in a post that has been shared all over the world. ‘When you care for others, you manifest an inner strength despite any difficulties you face. Your own problems will seem less significant and bothersome to you. Reaching beyond your own problems and taking care of others, you gain confidence, courage, and a greater sense of calm.’” – Kidz That Care, Volunteering and Teen Mental Health

Teens Have Their Own Reasons. 
According to the University of Nevada, Reno, the “major reasons cited by teens for volunteering:

• Youth feel compassion for people in need
• They can do something for a cause in which they believe
• They believe that if they help others, others will help them.
• Seventy-three percent of young people think their efforts can have a positive impact on their communities.
• Teens rank volunteering, the environment and eating healthy, as top three activities they consider ‘cool’.
• Youth who volunteer gain important job skills and experience, while exploring career options.
• Young volunteers expand their social circle and enhance their social awareness.
• Teens say the benefits received from volunteering are: Learning to respect others; learning to be helpful and kind; learning to understand people who are different; developing leadership skills, becoming more patient, and better understanding of citizenship.”

Source: www.pexels.com

How to Choose
If your program is school-based, check if your school already has a community service partnership with a local non-profit. It is best when your young people select the cause and activity they are most interested in. They can do research and/or map the neighborhood for possible partner organizations. For instance, afterschool youth interviewed workers at a local homeless shelter and determined that collecting donations of warm gloves was what was needed. Another afterschool program in North Dakota decided after doing research, that they wanted to collect and distribute ice skates for kids in low-income families. 

Service activities can also focus on the needs of the other children in the afterschool program offering tutoring, mentoring, yard supervision, leading games, etc. 

It is important to consider the interests and abilities of your program participants, the time that is required, the attitude of the staff they may be working with, as well as how they will get to and from the location of the partner organization. 

Project Ideas
There are many possible service project ideas. Below are some links that can assist you and your program participants in considering ideas for service projects:

• Do Something- 73 Community Service Project Ideas
• Kid World Citizen- 35+ Service Projects for Kids

Service projects can also focus on educating the community on local issues like hunger, homelessness or environmental issues. 

Other Resources and Links

Source: Youth Service America

In addition to the links in the blog, additional information may be found using the links below: 

• National Youth Leadership Council- Service-Learning Afterschool
• Youth Service America 
• Youth Service America- Youth Service Briefing 5.25.23
• Youth Service America- Service Learning Experience Toolkit
• America’s Promise Alliance 
• PBS- Tips for Volunteering with Kids
• What Kidz Can Do- Service Learning: Powerful Learning with Public Purpose

LGBTQ+: Important Terms and Definitions

Source: www.publicdomainvectors.org

By Sam Piha

"Many LGBTQ+ people use labels to express who they are. These labels can help listeners like you and me understand who that person is and how they wish to identify." – It Gets Better Project

As the mainstream culture diversifies, our language is also evolving, which includes new terms related to sexual identity. It’s important that afterschool workers expand their vocabulary. Below are some LGBTQ+ terms and definitions. These definitions are not intended to label youth but rather to assist in understanding some frequently used terms. Youth may or may not use these terms to describe themselves. 

Source: www.cem.org

 “Language is an extremely powerful tool. It allows us to generate ideas, share stories, and learn and grow from others. Whether spoken, signed, or written, all languages are constantly evolving, and, despite their imperfections, can help us better understand our world and communicate our perspective with others.” – It Gets Better Project

1. LGBTQ+: This stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), and others. The "plus" represents other sexual identities including pansexual and Two-Spirit. The first four letters of the acronym have been used since the 1990s, but in recent years there has been an increased awareness of the need to be inclusive of other sexual identities to offer better representation. 

2. Bisexual: Bisexual indicates an attraction to all genders. The recognition of bisexual individuals is important, since there have been periods when people who identify as bi have been misunderstood as being gay. Bisexuality has included transgender, binary and nonbinary individuals since the release of the "Bisexual Manifesto" in 1990.

3. Transgender: Transgender is a term that indicates that a person's gender identity is different from the gender associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. 

Source: www.pexels.com

4. Queer or Questioning: Though queer may be used by people as a specific identity, it is often considered an umbrella term for anyone who is non-cisgender or heterosexual. But it is also a slur. It should not be placed on all members of the community and should only be used by cisgender and heterosexual individuals when referring to a person who explicitly identifies with it. Questioning refers to people who may be unsure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

5. + (Plus): The 'plus' is used to signify all of the gender identities and sexual orientations that are not specifically covered by the other five initials. 

Source: www.namidanecounty.org

6. Intersectionality: According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, this term is “used to refer to the complex and cumulative way that the effects of different forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, and yes, intersect—especially in the experiences of marginalized people or groups.” To learn more, see The Trevor Project- What is Intersectionality, Really? 

7. Gender identity: A person’s deeply held sense or psychological knowledge of their own gender, regardless of the gender they were assigned at birth. Everyone has a gender identity. 

8. Gender expression: This refers to the way a person expresses gender, such as clothing, hairstyles, activities, or mannerisms. 

Source: www.pexels.com

9. Gender Nonconforming: Describes people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations, such as “feminine” boys, “masculine” girls, and those who are perceived as androgynous. 

10. Genders & Sexualities Alliance (GSA): Genders & Sexualities Alliances, or GSAs for short, are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities. GSAs have evolved beyond their traditional role to serve as safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in middle schools and high schools and have emerged as vehicles for deep social change related to racial, gender, and educational justice.

11. Nonbinary: A person whose gender identity does not conform to the gender binary, which is the erroneous idea that only two distinct and opposite genders exist, male and female.

12. Pronoun: A word used in place of a name to refer to someone, often in relation to their gender. Gendered pronouns include she/her/hers and he/him/his. (For example, "She marched in the Pride Parade.") Gender-neutral pronouns include they/them/theirs, used in the singular. (For example, "They are a member of the GSA.") There are also neopronouns that include ze/zir/zirs, ey/em/eirs, and per/per/pers, as well as many others. To learn more, see Pronouns 101 from The Human Rights Campaign.

13. Afterschool programs: Community-based and school-based youth programs that are conducted before or after the school day and during the summer. These programs are also referred to as afterschool, out-of-school time (OST), youth programs or summer learning programs. 

(Definitions 1-5 were drawn from an article by Kendra Cherry on www.verywellmind.com; definitions 7-9 were drawn from an article by the California Safe School Coalition); definition 10 is drawn from The Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network; definitions 11- 12 were drawn from the It Gets Better Project). 

For more terms and definitions, see the LGBTQ+ Glossary from the It Gets Better Project.

To see additional tools to ensure a sense of safety for all youth, see our Youth Development Guide 2.0 here. Also available is a new briefing paper on supporting LGBTQ youth. Feel free to share these resources with your network.

Moving From Grief to Wellness in Our Schools

Source: www.pexels.com

We know that many young people suffer from grief and the loss of loved ones due to COVID, gun violence, etc. In response we have posted several LIAS blogs, a briefing paper and webinar trainings for the afterschool community.

Guest blogger, Vicki Zakrzewski, Education Director for Greater Good Science Center, recently interviewed pediatrician, Dr. David Schonfeld on addressing young people‘s grief in school settings. Below she shares a few excerpts from her interview. (To read the full interview, click here.) 

Zakrzewski: What is the difference between trauma and grief?

Schonfeld: We’ve tried so hard to be trauma-informed that we often forget to also be grief-sensitive. When you’re dealing with trauma, you’re helping people deal with something that happened. When you’re dealing with grief, you’re trying to support them as they face the loss of someone or something important to them. The interventions are very different. And trauma is not intrinsically more important than grief.

Some assume that trauma is more important or serious than grief because it’s been talked about more among mental health professionals. Reactions that are due to trauma are labeled symptoms and may lead to the diagnosis of trauma disorders, and then we recognize the need for mental health treatment from licensed and credentialed professionals. But since bereavement is considered a normative life experience and not a mental illness, even the same reactions aren’t viewed as an illness, and we don’t provide treatment for grief. Instead, we offer support delivered by lay people or faith-based professionals. It’s generally free since most health insurances won’t pay for grief support.

Source: Artwork by Lauren Coakley. Added by Temescal Associates

Zakrzewski: What advice would you give to education professionals who are not sure how to respond to grief and loss? 

Schonfeld: I think we need to acknowledge that it’s OK to be uncomfortable with grief, but that sometimes you have to do things you’re uncomfortable with when they’re important. A lot of times people will share with me this “secret” that it’s hard for them. I tell them that that’s a given.

We just have to acknowledge that this is really tough and it’s all right to feel some discomfort. It’s all right to recognize that you don’t know exactly what to say or how to do it—but it’s not all right to not do anything.

A lot of people think that because they don’t know what to say to a grieving student, it’s better to say nothing. Nothing is exactly the wrong thing to say. It communicates to kids and adults that you’re clueless, you don’t care, you don’t think they can handle it, you can’t handle it, or you don’t want to waste your time. Those are all really horrible messages for people in crisis. So we try to give school professionals basic skills to support students and staff after crisis and loss—but acknowledge that it’s still hard. We let them know that we’re going to help them do it.

“After my brother died, life was so hard to live. There were days that I sat there and I didn’t think I could live anymore without my brother. Whenever a birthday, holiday or special occasion would come along, I would always end up shedding at least a few tears. Nothing was the same without my brother.” —Jeniffer, 16, Children’s Grief Awareness Day (Note: added by Temescal Associates)

Zakrzewski: What kind of support do teachers and students say helps them the most?

Schonfeld: For the education professionals, the common advice given is about self-care. But organizational approaches can be more effective than personal self-care alone. However, you really need both. If we imply that if you are upset when you have an upsetting job it’s because you’re not professional enough and didn’t do enough to take care of yourself, we risk blaming the professional for stress that is inherent in the work. We have to disavow that from the beginning, and instead do our best to establish organizational support structures and minimize the stress associated with the positions and create an organizational culture that values staff support.

I think for a lot of kids, figure out what type of academic and, to some degree, social support to offer, and then be there to listen to them. Be present and empathic, and that’s probably a large part of what an educator has to do.

Zakrzewski: How do you suggest schools respond to the range of cultural approaches to grief within their respective communities? 

Schonfeld: Death is a universal experience, and we should focus more on how it’s the same and less on how it can be manifested in different ways. There’s a tendency for us to feel uncomfortable supporting people of other backgrounds. Start with one culture, maybe your own. If you know how to support a grieving student in that culture, you can do it with students of any culture—you just have to realize that there are differences.

It’s not important that you learn everything about different cultures. Instead, ask them, “Could you help me understand what’s important to you and your family, so I can better understand how to help you?” I’ve never had a family say, “I’m not going to tell you.” They want to share their beliefs and their culture so you can better help them.

After a presentation, people will often come up to me and say, “I said the wrong things.” And I reassure them that even though the advice I gave sounds easy, I’ve made the same mistakes. As long as people know you care and are trying to help them, they’re pretty open to forgiving you. They’re less likely to do so if you appear disinterested or insensitive.

MORE ABOUT…

Vicki Zakrzewski, Ph.D., is a former teacher and school administrator, and the founding education director at the Greater Good Science Center, where she translates the science of compassion, empathy, gratitude, awe, forgiveness, and other social, emotional, and ethical skills to improve the well-being of students and educators. She writes articles, gives talks and workshops all over the world, designs online courses for educators, and is the creative lead for the GGSC’s new online resource for educators, Greater Good in Education. Vicki also serves as the co-associate editor of SEL practice for Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, sits on several advisory boards, and consults and collaborates with educational organizations.  

David J Schonfeld, MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP), is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician; he founded and directs the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Schonfeld is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine. His recently published book is entitled, The Grieving Student: A Guide for Schools and it can be ordered here.  

The Greater Good Science Center studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society. Based at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the world’s leading institutions of research and higher education, the GGSC is unique in its commitment to both science and practice: They sponsor groundbreaking scientific research into social and emotional well-being and help people apply this research to their personal and professional lives.

To see additional tools to ensure a sense of safety for all youth, see our Youth Development Guide 2.0 here. Also, a new briefing paper on supporting LGBTQ youth. Feel free to share this resource with your network.

 

Employing Youth and Workforce Development in Afterschool

Source: Fab Youth Philly

By Sam Piha

When asked, older youth cite they are most interested in opportunities to gain work experience that is meaningful, making the real world a better place, and that can translate into their ability to earn their own money. Fab Youth Philly (FYP) is a Philadelphia-based youth development organization that provides innovative, award-winning programming for youth, with a programmatic focus on workforce development opportunities for teens ages 15-19. Below we interview Rebecca Fabiano, Founder and ED of Fab Youth Philly about their program offerings that promote youth employment and workforce development.  

Source: Fab Youth Philly

Q: FAB Youth Philly has emphasized the importance of engaging youth in work through your summer program and school year offerings. Why is this? 

A: We have emphasized the importance of engaging youth in work/employment during the summer for several reasons. First, the summer presents an opportunity for deeper and extended engagement with teens. We can see them five days a week for 5-8 weeks, which allows us to build and deepen our relationships with them, and for them to build and deepen relationships with their peers, other stakeholders (partner organizations, community members, etc.). That can be up to 200-250 hours of time to support teens developmental needs, including establishing financial independence, exploring their passions and interests, and building social capital & professional networks. We know that people who are employed in their teens are more employable as an adult and have greater lifetime earnings than those that do not. 

Q: Many of your program offerings engage youth in work that serves their community. Why is this important? 

A: Our work is guided by three youth development principles: 

• Positive relationships;
• Clear, fair and high expectations;
• Opportunities for teens to connect, navigate and be productive. 

We are also keenly aware of teens developmental needs and with these things in mind, we know that teens need and want the opportunity to give back to their community. 

For our Play Captain, Safety Captain and our new Lifeguard Training Certificate, the teens often talk about what drew them to these opportunities was to be of service to their community. They talk with pride as a Play Captain about their work “decreasing summer slide and helping children to return to school prepared to learn”; as a Safety Captain, they talk about “a desire to solve problems in their community”, and our new Lifeguard trainees, talk about wanting to “help open pools in their neighborhood so kids have a fun place to go in the summer”.

“Many of our Play Captains report that they enjoy being a Play Captain because they can help children reduce the summer learning slide from the games and activities they play and facilitate.” – Rebecca Fabiano 

Q: Can you describe each of your youth employment program components?  

A: Work Permits for Teens: In many cities, teens need a “work permit” or “working paper”. Our staff has been trained to provide that permit to youth in Philadelphia. It is considered one of the (MANY) vital documents they need to be able to work.

Source: Play Captain Initiative

Play Captain Initiative: Every summer, Fab Youth Philly implements our award-winning Play Captain Initiative (PCI): a workforce development and civic engagement initiative with the mission to empower and train teens in leadership, playful learning and facilitation to make Playstreets, playgrounds and neighborhoods in Philadelphia more playful. Each year we get up to 200 applications and we are able to hire about 50 teens. Those teens facilitate over 70 hours of playful learning activities. During the spring and fall, our Play Captains facilitate activities at neighborhood parks and playgrounds, providing an opportunity to continue working throughout the year. 

VIDEOS:

• Play Captains Week 2, Summer 2021
• Fab Youth Philly on Instagram 

“For more than 85% of our teens, this is their first job experience; and we take that very seriously. We build in from application to exit survey opportunities for them to experience and practice things they may encounter again with future employers.” – Rebecca Fabiano 

Source: Fab Youth Philly

Safety Captain Initiative: Teens are paid to use a project-based-learning approach to answer questions like: What makes a neighborhood youth-friendly? What makes a neighborhood safe for teens? They conduct research, complete community asset mapping, go on field trips and have guest speakers. Upon completion of the 12-week program, they present their findings to the public. 

VIDEO: Safety Captains Presentations 2021

Source: Fab Youth Philly

Little Library Stewards: In November 2022, we launched a new initiative called the Little Library Stewards (LLS). LLS creates a job for teens and helps a community asset from becoming a community nuisance. Many little libraries, where you can take a book and/or leave a book in a former newspaper box, are cared for by a resident or are left without a caretaker. As a Steward, teens are responsible for maintaining, cleaning, and stocking little libraries. We have piloted this initiative with some of our older teens, though in the fall, we are looking to make this opportunity available to 14-year-olds (the youngest age a teen can legally work in Pennsylvania), as way for them practice and develop various workplace “muscles,” such as punctuality, communication, attendance, and workplace technology.  

Youth Advisory Board: In December 2022, we launched our Youth Advisory Board with eight teens, who have been part of previous FYP programming. Being on the Youth Advisory Board is a paid position and members meet weekly between the months of September and May. The Youth Advisory Board is tasked with planning events, reviewing Play Captain & Little Library training, supporting participant recruitment and outreach. They are learning about budgeting, planning and decision making. We plan to keep these numbers relatively low, employing up to 10 teens per year.

Source: Fab Youth Philly

Lifeguard Certification Training: One of our newest initiatives is our Lifeguard Certificate Training program in collaboration with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR). We had 248 applicants for 15 slots. Every summer PPR needs to hire nearly 300 lifeguards to be able to open all of the public pools, but falls short every year, leaving some pools closed in the neediest neighborhoods. With this in mind and knowing that teens are looking to establish financial independence, we have established a partnership that capitalizes on each organization's assets. Drexel University is providing the pool, PPR is providing the Water Safety Instructors, and we have raised funds with our partner Drexel’s West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhood to pay teens and to outfit each of them with a bathing cap, goggles, bathing suits, towel, and flip flops. The teens participate in weekly workshops about how to create a resume and a cover letter, as well as how to apply for and interview for lifeguard positions. 

Our plan in the fall is to pay teens $10 to learn how to swim (thereby increasing the number of young people who have this important life skill, possibly decreasing water safety issues at public pools); then, for those who want to, they can test into the Lifeguard Certification program at $12 hour, and then be hired by PPR at $16 in the summer. Teens learning to swim will go on field trips and have guest speakers to help connect them to the rich history of public pools and swimming and to help develop their identity as a swimmer, while the teens in the Lifeguard Training program will continue to get workforce development workshops.

Q: For many youth participants who obtain first time jobs, do you offer any financial literacy info on how to handle their money? 

A: Yes. We provide a workshop on How to Read Your First Paycheck, one on creating a budget and in January, we invite them back for a workshop called I Got My W2, Now What Do I Do? so they learn about filing taxes.

Q: How can programs learn more about replicating one of these components and does your organization offer any staff trainings or coaching for youth programs outside of Philadelphia? 

A: We LOVE to visit other cities and conduct trainings on a WIDE range of topics pertaining to workforce development, youth development, trauma-informed youth development practices, and effective facilitation. For more information you can contact me at rebecca@fabyouthphilly.com.

MORE ABOUT...

For nearly 25 years, Rebecca Fabiano (She/Her) has worked in various capacities across nonprofit and youth-serving organizations, served on boards and helped to build solid youth programs that engage, encourage, and create spaces for positive development. As a program leader, she has successfully raised funds and managed program budgets; hired and supervised staff; developed and sustained strong community partnerships and designed award-winning programming. 

To learn more from Rebecca on the topic of program strategies to promote youth employment and workforce development, join us for this webinar:

Other resources you may find useful: 

• Engaging Youth as Workers Within High School Afterschool Programs: A Briefing Paper
• Engaging Youth as Workers in Afterschool Programs

Four Things to Remember About Supporting LGBTQ Youth

Source: National Afterschool Association

There has been an uptick in targeting LGBTQ+ youth in political rhetoric and state house legislative bills across America. According to the Trevor Project, these actions have ranged from "censoring LGBTQ-related curriculums and books, banning transgender student-athletes from participating in sports that match their gender identity, and criminalizing doctors and families who support youth with transgender medical care."

In response to this, we are posting a series of blogs, some from guest bloggers. This blog was originally published by the National Afterschool Association (NAA), written by Eileen Wise, a youth development specialist at Penn State Better Kid Care and primary author of their Professional Youth Development series.

By Guest Blogger Eileen Wise

FOUR THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT SUPPORTING LGBTQ YOUTH

1. Know basic facts about gender and sexual orientation.

Even if you're a sensitive and caring youth development professional, there may be some things you don't know about the LGBTQ—gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning—community. For example: What is the difference between gender identity and gender expression? Is using the word "queer" a sign of being well-informed or is it an insult to an individual who is LGBTQ? Why is it important to be able to talk about gender in a "non-binary" way?

We know that a small but significant number of children in our care will grow up to become gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning—about 5 percent of children, according to statistics. For any group of children of about 20 or more, there will be at least one child developing as a sexual minority. Like all children, they need our respect, understanding and support.

The National AfterSchool Association (NAA) Code of Ethics calls on all youth development professionals to support all types of diverse youth, including LGBTQ youth.

To be truly supportive, youth development professionals need to learn the basic facts about diversity in gender and sexual orientation. A new online learning module titled "Supporting LGBTQ Youth" is available to support this need. The book The ABC's of LGBT+ is another helpful resource.

When you make the effort to know the facts and vocabulary, youth are more likely to feel you genuinely care and will begin to trust you.

2. Realize how important you are.

Children as young as 5 years old may begin to feel uncomfortable about their identity as a male or female, and it's common for children to become aware of their sexual orientation as they enter puberty. What this means is that some children may experience feelings of being different from the norm in their gender and sexual orientation throughout their elementary years. Minority youth are listening and watching our expressions, dress, and body language. They are "reading" us all the time, because we are trusted role models and respected authority figures.

Afterschool and out-of-school programs can provide a safe haven for gender and sexual orientation minority youth when they implement these elements:

• Create a welcoming atmosphere.
• Establish behavior guidelines.
• Promote inclusion.
• Call out discriminatory speech and actions.
• Apply consequences consistently.

When you recognize your authority and take charge of the out-of-school program space, you are giving gender and sexual orientation minority youth the room to feel safe, accepted, and able to explore their identities.

3. Know it's OK to make mistakes.

We have all been socialized to think and speak in a binary way about gender. We may be in the habit of addressing a group of children as "boys and girls." We may have grown up dividing children into groups or teams by gender. We may also be used to remarking about how an article of clothing or a person looks "pretty" or "handsome."

These types of expressions and habits can be off-putting to LGBTQ youth. They can signal that adult professionals are not really understanding the effects of their words on gender and sexual orientation minority youth.

However, if youth development professionals can catch themselves and correct their statements into a gender-neutral way of speaking, this can make a big difference to youth. Youth are forgiving if they see we are trying to be more inclusive and understanding.

When you make a mistake, quickly apologize and correct your speech or action. Youth will realize that you are sincerely learning and trying, and they will accept and appreciate your efforts.

4. Really listen to young people.

We can learn a lot about the concerns and issues facing youth by asking questions and listening to their answers. Youth culture changes quickly, and the trends and jargon among LGBTQ youth may change even more quickly. Often, books and articles cannot keep pace with the facts on the ground.

For those of us who work on a daily basis with children and youth, our ability to "really listen" may be our most important skill. By listening intently and with open minds and hearts we may be able to tune in to LGBTQ youth who are suffering from stress and rejection at home, at school or in their neighborhoods. We may be the lifeline they desperately need to grow beyond what they are experiencing today and to ultimately realize their full potentials. 

Our ability to listen intently and respond with care may be a lifeline for LGBTQ youth.

References: Mardell, Ashley. 2016. The ABC's of LGBT+. Mango Media Inc.; Penn State Better Kid Care. "Supporting LGBTQ Youth." Online professional development module.

To see additional tools to ensure a sense of safety for all youth, see our Youth Development Guide 2.0 here. Also, a new briefing paper on supporting LGBTQ youth. Feel free to share this resource with your network.

 

Our Resolution: Defeat Anti-LGBTQ Bills in 2023

By: Guest Blogger Ryan Bernsten, The Trevor Project

(Originally published by The Trevor Project)

 

As we start a new year, we enter a hostile political landscape for LGBTQ young people in states across America. In 2022, 220 anti-LGBTQ bills were considered in a majority of states across the country — a record number. In 2023, this trend is set to continue, as state houses around America are considering legislation that targets LGBTQ young people, ranging from censoring LGBTQ-related curriculums and books, banning transgender student-athletes from participating in sports that match their gender identity, and criminalizing doctors and families who support youth with transgender medical care.  

Source: The Trevor Project

That’s the bad news. However, there is reason for optimism: nearly 90% of harmful bills considered in 2022 were defeated by LGBTQ advocates and allies.  

These wins don’t just happen organically. They’re a result of targeted grassroots efforts of educating legislators about the real impacts and harm these policies cause. We know that to many families, the prospect of another tough year is daunting. For those new to LGBTQ advocacy, joining in to defend our young people can seem overwhelming. Our best power and momentum lies when we stay informed and work together. So, at the Trevor Project we’re making a New Year’s resolution to support advocates in state legislatures across the country who are standing up for LGBTQ youth, especially trans and nonbinary youth. We hope you’ll join us.

Source: The Trevor Project

As an advocate for LGBTQ rights, it’s important to stay informed about these bills and to be ready to take action to fight back against them. Here are some steps you can take to make a difference:

Stay informed: Follow news about LGBTQ issues in your state and around the country. Sign up for newsletters or alerts from organizations like The Trevor Project or the ACLU, and follow their social media accounts to stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

Get involved: Find a state or local organization that’s working to fight back against these bills. Consider joining their efforts and getting involved in their campaigns. Volunteering your time, donating money, or even just sharing information on social media can make a difference. You can find local organizations here.

Reach out to your legislators: Remember that politics is local. If you live in a state where an anti-LGBTQ bill is being considered, reach out to your state legislators and let them know how you feel. You can do this through email, phone, or even by writing a postcard or letter. Make sure to explain why the bill is harmful and why you oppose it. You can even visit them at their offices to have a face-to-face conversation with their staff. You can find your state legislator here. 

Watch hearings and state legislative sessions: As these bills are being debated, they often go through a public hearing process. Find out where and when these bills are being discussed and show up or watch them online. Let the legislators know that there is an audience that doesn’t agree with these harmful bills. Remember that politicians want to be re-elected. Presence is pressure.

Educate others: One of the most powerful things you can do to protect LGBTQ young people is to speak to the people in your life about why these bills are so harmful. Visit our Resource Center to find guides and educational materials. Remember, you don’t have to have all the correct language to make a difference. You just have to speak from your heart and practice empathy. If you have a platform or writing skills, you can also contact local publications to write op-eds or letters to the editor about these issues. 

The Trevor Project is fighting every day for a more inclusive world for LGBTQ young people, but we can’t do it alone. We all have the power to change hearts and minds through people-to-people conversations, local and state advocacy, and the ballot box. Make a resolution this year to stay involved and ensure that we defeat as many of these harmful bills as possible.

MORE ABOUT...

Ryan Bernsten is a Senior Managing Editor at The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people.

The Trevor Project's mission is to end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young people. Their vision is a world where all LGBTQ young people see a bright future for themselves.

A Place For Everyone: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth In Out-Of-School Time Organizations

Source: Anete Lusina, www.pexels.com

By Guest Blogger, Clarke Hill
(This was originally published by the National Afterschool Association in the Spring 2023 Afterschool Today issue.)

In the world of youth development, very little is simple. More often than not, organizations are up against seemingly insurmountable odds in the fight for a just society for all young people. The battles young people face are everywhere, from mass shootings to global pandemics and crises related to mental health, housing, and extreme economic insecurity to name just a few. 

Advocating for LGBTQ+ young people can feel like one of these insurmountable tasks. The Trevor Project reports that in 2022 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous year, including 1 in 5 transgender and nonbinary youth, as a result of discrimination they faced in school, social gatherings, and at home. That is a staggering statistic. 

However, equally as staggering, is the finding that when trans and nonbinary young people have their pronouns respected by the adults in their lives they report suicide attempts at half the rate of other trans and nonbinary youth. In a world of big complex problems, using the correct pronoun is something we can all do without a whole lot of effort. When you start to dig into what else LGBTQ+ youth need to feel safe and supported, it turns out most of that is pretty simple too. 

Not only is it simple, out-of-school organizations actually have a unique ability to change those statistics by creating inclusive organizations for all and prioritizing the well-being of their LGBTQ+ youth. 

In this country, youth are provided a variety of places to feel safe and included; it is often taken for granted that home, community, church, school, sports teams, etc. are places for youth to find safety. The truth is that for many LGBTQ+ youth these are spaces that have caused trauma. In 2022 the Trevor Project found that only 37% of LGBTQ+ youth identified home as an affirming space and only 55% felt affirmed at school. Schools are often barred from supporting LGBTQ+ youth because of discriminatory policies instituted by school boards or local governments. The safety of one’s home is dependent upon the beliefs of one’s parents. Out-of-school time organizations often do not have to adhere to the same discriminatory policies and can ensure they are only hiring staff that are accepting and then provide continued training on active inclusion. 

Source: Afterschool Today Spring 2023

One of the easiest things your organization can do is ensure the use of correct pronouns. While it can feel difficult, asking someone for their pronouns and trying your best to use the correct pronouns gets easier as you practice. If you make a mistake and use the wrong pronoun, you can simply apologize and move forward with the correct pronoun. The effort is impactful to the young person even when mistakes are made. The use of they/them pronouns to address a singular person also might feel uncomfortable at first but it is something that we regularly do in the English language. For example, if you walked up to a table at a restaurant and saw a jacket left by a previous customer you might say “oh look, someone left their jacket, I’m going to take it to lost and found for them.” Change can be uncomfortable, and adjusting pronoun usage may have some bumps in the road, but in the end, our effort has real potential to reduce suicidal thoughts in young people. 

Remember, it is impossible to know everyone’s pronouns just by looking at them; staff can model sharing their pronouns when they introduce themselves and make sure to provide the option to share pronouns when they ask young people to introduce themselves. Additionally, you can offer name tags that have a blank for names and a blank for pronouns. Lastly, you may have seen the term “preferred pronouns” used in the past but the definition of preferred is an adjective to describe something that someone likes better than something else. If they were preferred pronouns, it means that other pronouns are acceptable to use which is not the case. 

Again, the youth development field faces big complex problems, but this is a solution with relatively low effort and extremely high impact. 

The lynchpin to creating an inclusive organization is ensuring your staff have received training specific to working with LGBTQ+ youth. Luckily, there are many fantastic resources that can help your organization with education: 

1.The Trevor Project - Support Center Glossary 
2.The Trevor Project - Guide to Being an Ally 
3.GLSEN - Gender Affirming & Inclusive Athletics 
4.The Safe Zone Project - Learn 
5.Human Rights Campaign - Schools in Transition 

MORE ABOUT...

Clarke Hill, is the Principal and Founder of Clarke Hill Consulting and Co-Founder of Queer Connect. Clarke is a non-profit consultant with over 20 years of experience and her areas of focus as a consultant are non-profit organizational development, youth development, quality improvement, and data-driven DEI. She has worked with organizations across the country such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Washington Charters Association, Neighborhood House, and the Forum for Youth Investment. She also worked with government institutions including the Centers for Disease Control, King County, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. 

LGBTQ+ Youth's Rights Under Attack: STEP 1 (Part 2)

Source: Alex Tinca, www.pexels.com

By: Sam Piha

There have been recent attacks on LGBTQ+ youth in political rhetoric and as state houses around America are considering legislation that targets LGBTQ young people. Even though there are inclusive and progressive politics in some states, afterschool programs in states across the country do not enjoy this. How can they promote a safe space for all youth amid state efforts to erase the LGBTQ+ community? To read part 1 of this blog, click here.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Begin by staying informed. Below, in this blog we continue our listing of articles about these attacks which are listed by topic. If you click on the title, it will take you to the original article. 

MORE ABOUT SCHOOLS

Source: GLSEN

Principal forced to resign after students shown picture of Michelangelo’s David

March 24, 2023 • One parent complained that a Renaissance art lesson was “pornographic.”

School district bans kids from singing Dolly Parton & Miley Cyrus song because it mentions rainbows

March 27, 2023 • The school also tried to ban a Kermit the Frog song.

SPORTS

South Carolina becomes the latest state to enact a transgender sports ban

May 17, 2022 • South Carolina's governor signed into law a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls' or women's sports in public schools and colleges.

Utah bans transgender athletes in girls sports despite governor's veto

March 25, 2022 • Lawmakers voted to override GOP Gov. Spencer Cox's veto of legislation banning transgender youth athletes from playing on girls teams. The move comes amid a nationwide culture war over trans issues.

Transgender girls and women now barred from female sports in Iowa

IOWA PUBLIC RADIO NEWS March 3, 2022 • The ban takes effect immediately. The ban applies to K-12 schools and community colleges as well as colleges and universities that are part of the NCAA or NAIA.

The Chicago Blackhawks cancel a pride-themed warm-up citing Vladimir Putin

March 24, 2023 • Russia's gay propaganda law creeps into the National Hockey League.

CRIMINALIZING LGBTQ+ YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES

Texas Supreme Court OKs state child abuse inquiries into the families of trans kids

May 13, 2022 • The ruling overturns an injunction barring state officials from following Abbott's directive to view treatments such as hormones and puberty-blocking drugs as incidents of child abuse.

SOME PUSH BACK

School Sports Cannot ‘Categorically’ Ban Transgender Athletes, Under Biden Proposal

April 6, 2023 • The proposed rules would give schools flexibility for “fairness in competition” or where participation could lead to injury.

A Transgender Student Moved Cross-Country for a Welcoming School. Here’s Their Story

February 27, 2023 • Dandelion Hunt-Smith moved across the country with their family from Columbus, Ga., to San Francisco for their senior year of high school in search of a welcoming school.

A judge has blocked a Texas investigation of one transgender teen's parents

March 2, 2022 • Judge's order stops short of preventing the state from looking into other reports about children receiving similar care.

A judge blocks part of an Alabama law that criminalizes gender-affirming medication

May 14, 2022 • The federal judge issued a preliminary injunction while a court challenge goes forward. The judge left in place other parts of the law that banned gender-affirming surgeries.

Governors in Indiana and Utah veto transgender sports bans

March 22, 2022 • Eleven states have enacted transgender sports bans, though many have been snarled by lawsuits.

A Texas judge blocks the state from investigating parents of transgender youth

THE TEXAS NEWSROOM, March 11, 2022 • The judge halted the state from enforcing Gov. Greg Abbott's directive to launch "child abuse" investigations against parents getting gender-affirming care for their transgender children.

After protests, Disney CEO speaks out against Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill

March 8, 2022 • Disney CEO Bob Chapek says the company will pledge five million dollars to groups "working to protect" LGBTQ+ rights. The Human Rights Campaign says it won't take Disney's money.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• VIDEO: A look at efforts targeting LGBTQ youth around the country
• The Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network is a next-generation LGBTQ racial and gender justice organization that empowers and trains queer, trans and allied youth leaders to advocate, organize, and mobilize an intersectional movement for safer schools and healthier communities.
• The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. Together, we can transform our nation’s K-12 schools into the safe and affirming environment all youth deserve.
• GLSEN- The 2021 National School Climate Survey, Executive Summary
• Global Giving- After School Programs for Gay & Lesbian Youth
• National Afterschool Association- Four Things to Remember About Supporting LGBTQ Youth
• California Afterschool Network- LGBTQ Youth Resources
• More Than a Safe Space: How Schools Can Enable LGBTQ Students to Thrive