Mentorist is pleased to announce our newest initiative--The LGBTQ+ Ally Program--which invites mentoring programs, youth serving organizations, and committed adults to receive training, coaching and support to implement safe and affirming mentoring services for LGBTQ youth.
Becoming an inclusive and affirming mentoring program is more than hanging safe zone posters and using personal pronouns. This requires a practice of allyship and leveraging our personal empathy to ensure that young people in our care—especially those on the margins—are safe and affirmed.
The LGBTQ+ Ally Program is a rigorous year-long training, coaching, and policy-change program that leverages research-informed best practices to build and sustain a culture of inclusion and belonging for LGBTQ youth, volunteers, staff, and stakeholders. Agencies completing the program will receive a badge of commitment that can be visibly displayed to highlight ongoing intentions to ensure LGBTQ youth are able to thrive within their programming.
Over the course of a year, Ally Programs will receive intensive support and resources to complete the following requirements:
This program is designed to encourage personal and organizational learning and requires initial buy-in from organizational leadership and ongoing commitment from participating staff to engage in vulnerable spaces for learning and growth.
In 2021, Mentorist partnered with Mentor, Mentor Minnesota, and Nia Clark (MSW) to facilitate the first cohort of LGBTQ+ Ally Programs.
Please click on the link below to hear program experiences with this initiative and their suggestions for creating safe and affirming services for LGBTQ youth.
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