At The Attic, the belief in the power of young people to transform their surroundings is a core tenet of the organization’s work. Youth voice is woven into all of The Attic’s community education work, with LGBTQ youth voices a featured educational component in each workshop provided by The Attic’s Bryson Institute. However, in their lives outside of The Attic, a substantial percentage of Attic youth attend under resourced and over-stretched neighborhood schools, and regularly report fear, anxiety, and stress regarding their LGBTQ identities at these schools. The Bryson Institute’s aim is to launch meaningful conversation in the spaces that need it the most.
The Bryson Institute of The Attic Youth Center will involve a core group of LGBTQ youth to provide trainings at Philadelphia area schools on how to best support LGBTQ youth in school environments. An Attic staff trainer and a team of two Attic youth panelists will train students, staff, and/or faculty at middle and high schools throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region on best practices for supporting LGBTQ youth in schools. The training will include interactive activities and age-appropriate material that students find both engaging and accessible. The training will also emphasize the following questions: How do we relate to each other? – When I say this word, how does it make my peers feel? If I’m upset at school, who should I talk to? – as well as how we understand each other – What does LGBTQ mean anyhow? Why does it matter to me? All trainings are adapted to optimally fit each school and grade level. This project will support 10 trainings.
The Bryson Institute of The Attic provides training in best practices in meeting the needs of LGBTQ youth in schools, social service agencies, faith communities, families, and neighborhoods. From social service and health care providers, to faith communities, to schools, Bryson’s goal is to improve the climate and support systems for LGBTQ youth in their everyday environments by fostering understanding, imparting knowledge, and providing strategies for creating safe and affirming environments.
Training has a significant impact on participants. As a result of training, participants:
1.Develop a greater awareness and understanding of LGBTQ youth, and will learn ways to take action steps to support LGBTQ youth in a school environment.
2.Learn how to take action in their school environment to reduce the bullying and harassment that many LGBTQ students face
3.Understand the effects of harassment and bullying on a student’s mental health and well-being.
4.Learn about resources within their school/ community that address the needs of LGBTQ youth.
The trainings are evaluated through analyzing the evaluations distributed within trainings using The Bryson Institute’s standard training evaluation form. Additionally, The Bryson Institute makes follow-up calls to each school within one month of the training to assess the training’s impact on the school environment.
The Bryson Institute of The Attic Youth Center will involve a core group of LGBTQ youth to provide trainings at Philadelphia area schools on how to best support LGBTQ youth in school environments. An Attic staff trainer and a team of two Attic youth panelists will train students, staff, and/or faculty at middle and high schools throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region on best practices for supporting LGBTQ youth in schools. The training will include interactive activities and age-appropriate material that students find both engaging and accessible. The training will also emphasize the following questions: How do we relate to each other? – When I say this word, how does it make my peers feel? If I’m upset at school, who should I talk to? – as well as how we understand each other – What does LGBTQ mean anyhow? Why does it matter to me? All trainings are adapted to optimally fit each school and grade level.
Wyndmoor, PA
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