Lgbtq Supplement

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Lgbtq Supplement LGBTQ SUPPLEMENT TO THE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICE FOR MENTORING January 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Program Design and Management..................................................................................................21 Standards of Practice for Serving LGBTQQ Youth and Their Mentors Recruitment ............................................................................................................................ 40 Screening ..................................................................................................................................47 Training .......................................................................................................................................51 Matching and Initiation ........................................................................................................59 Monitoring and Support ......................................................................................................66 Closure ....................................................................................................................................... 72 Program Evaluation .............................................................................................................................. 75 Additional Resources ...........................................................................................................................78 AUTHORS & CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Garringer MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, Christian Rummell Mentorist Consulting, Jennifer Bourgoin MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, Hillary Bardwell Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Jessica Mitchell Big Brothers Big Sisters of America FUNDED BY: © Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, 2018. Unauthorized use, distribution, transmission, and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thank the following individuals and groups for contributing to this LGBTQ Supplement guide. Project success would not have been possible without their hard work. • The Altria Group, whose generous grant made this project possible. • Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Affiliates that have participated in the piloting of the LGBTQ Mentoring Enhancements project (since 2016): BBBS of Puget Sound (Seattle, WA); BBBS Services, Inc. (Greater Richmond, VA); BBBS of Middle Tennessee (Nashville, TN); BBBS Independence Region (Philadelphia, PA); BBBS of Metropolitan Chicago; BBBS of Kentuckiana (Louisville, KY); BBBS of the National Capital Area (Washington, DC); BBBS of the Triangle (Raleigh, NC); BBBS of Delaware; BBBS of Santa Cruz County (Santa Cruz, CA); BBBS of Broward County (Fort Lauderdale, FL); BBBS Lone Star (Dallas, TX); BBBS of Tampa Bay (Tampa, FL); BBBS of Colorado (Denver, CO); BBBS of South Central West Virginia (Charles- ton, WV); BBBS of the Midlands (Omaha, NE); BBBS of Central Indiana (Indianapolis, IN); BBBS of Central Arizona (Phoenix, AZ); BBBS of Orange County (Santa Ana, CA); BBBS of Mississippi (Jackson, MS). • The working group of practitioners and researchers who helped identify and clarify effective practices (see page 12). • MENTOR would like to specially thank Dr. Christian Rummell for his expertise and contribu- tions to this guide and the preceding BBBSA initiative (see next page for more details about this innovative work). To learn more about Christian’s work, visit the Mentorist website at www.mentorist.org. LGBTQ MENTORING SUPPLEMENT 1 ABOUT THIS SUPPLEMENT In 2016, BBBSA began piloting a capacity-building initiative to develop awareness training, sup- port the formation of new partnerships, and intentionally provide services for LGBTQQ youth to its network of more than 270 Affiliates around the United States. Through this innovative initia- tive, BBBSA sought to address many of the barriers that have traditionally prevented LGBTQQ youth from being served more effectively by youth mentoring programs. There is a growing recognition in the mentoring field that the failure to provide thoughtful, responsive, and inclusive programming leaves LGBTQQ youth at risk for additional harm each time they receive services from ill-prepared staff and incompatible mentors. Many of the recommendations in this supplement have been informed by site visits, staff train- ings, and extensive procedural changes made at 20 local BBBSA Affiliates across the country. Many direct examples of the changes these sites have made to their policies, procedures, staff development, and communications are provided throughout this supplement. To build on lessons learned and insights from the national initiative, BBBSA approached MEN- TOR about co-developing a supplementary resource to the standard Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™ on serving LGBTQQ youth more effectively. This supplement is the re- sult of that collaboration, and BBBSA and MENTOR present this final product to the mentoring field, made possible with funding from the Altria Group. LGBTQ MENTORING SUPPLEMENT 2 INTRODUCTION The LGBTQ Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for MentoringTM responds to a long-stand- ing call to extend the reach and quality of mentoring About the Terminology Used in relationships to one of our nation’s most underserved, this Supplement marginalized, and vulnerable populations—youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and The authors of this supplement have chosen to questioning (LGBTQQ).1 As a well-documented body use the acronym LGBTQQ youth as an umbrel- of research has noted, large numbers of LGBTQQ la term that is inclusive of diverse spectrums youth are growing up at a deficit—facing difficult of sexual orientations and gender identities in odds due to day-to-day experiences with societal young people. This acronym includes (but is stigma, victimization, bias, and rejection.2 Given such not limited to) young people who are lesbian, a landscape, there is a need for caring adults, advo- gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. In ad- cates, and mentors now more than ever. Unfortunate- dition, there is an important need to highlight ly, only a small number of formal mentoring programs early experiences with sexual minority and across the country are currently providing mis- gender minority identity development during sion-driven services that speak directly to the unique the time that many children and youth partici- needs and safety concerns of this population.3 pate in youth mentoring programs. Because of the importance of how this experience parallels Importantly, a growing body of research and practi- time in the care of mentoring program staff, the tioner-piloted practices also caution that mentoring authors have also included questioning as part services for LGBTQQ youth may require additional of this acronym. levels of awareness, program capacity, and advoca- cy. Such findings indicate that a business-as-usual approach to recruitment, screening, training, match- For adults, the acronym LGBTQ is used. This ing, case management, and evaluation may expose acronym includes (but is not limited to) adults LGBTQQ youth to additional risks and the potential who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and for long-term harm at a time when these young peo- queer. Although many individuals may still nav- ple are most in need of care, advocacy, and having igate through various phases of sexual identity someone in their corner. or gender identity development throughout As a response to these concerns and as a part of a adulthood, the age most often associated with shared commitment by Big Brothers Big Sisters of questioning has trended lower and is now much America (BBBSA) and MENTOR: The National Men- more closely associated with the period of ad- 4 toring Partnership (MENTOR) to improve mentoring olescence (see the work of Cass; McCarn and 5 6 services to all children and youth across the country, Fassinger; D’Aughelli ). To learn more about the LGBTQ Supplement to the Elements of Effective the use of key terms, concepts, and language Practice for MentoringTM offers step-by-step opera- within this supplement, please see the glossary tions guidance to develop safer, more affirming, and in this section. responsive mentoring relationships for LGBTQQ youth. LGBTQ MENTORING SUPPLEMENT 3 INTRODUCTION: GLOSSARY Getting Started: A Glossary of Acronyms, Terms, and Definitions Understanding the following terms, definitions, and language can be helpful in working effectively with the LGBTQ community. Many of these terms are used throughout this supplement. Ally: A person who is not LGBTQ but shows support Coming Out: The process in which a person first for LGBTQ people and promotes equality in a variety acknowledges, accepts, and appreciates their sexual- of ways. orientation or gender identity and begins to disclose that identity to others. The concept is used more in Androgynous: A term used to describe someone relationship to sexual orientation but can be applied who identifies and/or presents as neither distinguish- to gender identity—though the process differs sig- ably masculine nor feminine. nificantly
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