Closed Course via County of Santa Clara, Office of LGBTQ Affairs
AN URGENT NEED FOR TRAINED HELPING PROFESSIONALS
TICKETS
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth have long been considered an invisible population in systems of care. Jurisdictions throughout the United States typically lack services and resources that meet the unique needs of this population. Public and private stakeholders are also often unaware of the institutional and individual barriers to permanency for LGBTQ+ youth.
These service disparities continue despite the extreme overrepresentation of LGBTQ+ youth in systems of care. For example, at least 23% of youth in the child welfare system identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning. A study by the Administration for Children and Families found that 39% of LGBTQ+ youth were forced from their homes due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, across the country, many children and youth’s services professionals receive no training on supporting LGBTQ+ youth, their caregivers, and other staff.
CORE CONTENT
RISE has developed the Training and Coaching Intensive (TCI) for potential and existing trainers, coaches, and subject matter experts or “holders” working for public and private agencies. This program focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to deliver the RISE Program’s evidence-informed Staff Training on Working with LGBTQ+ Youth in Systems of Care, but is highly adaptable for other sectors. The 5-day Intensive is based upon strengths-based, best practices for supporting LGBTQ+ youth, including principles for effective communication.
At the core of the RISE training, is the belief that with skilled, thoughtful, and targeted interventions, LGBTQ+ youth can achieve permanency and positive outcomes in safe and loving homes. The Intensive is geared towards “Helping Professionals” including but not limited to: social workers, probation officers, clinicians, educators, homeless services, and more.
TRAINING OBJECTIVES
- Participants will increase their familiarity, ability, and comfort with delivering RISE curriculum to staff.
- Participants will learn and apply effective strategies for managing participants, engaging different learning styles, creating a safe space that encourages learning, and fielding difficult questions.
- Participants will improve their ability to recognize and respond to instances of anti-gay bias, anti¬transgender bias and heterosexism in the training room.
