LGBTQ+ YeSS

LGBTQ+ Youth Experience Summer Supports

United Way of Kennebec Valley’s Innovation Fund award expands LGBTQ+ youth supports and programming in Kennebec County.

Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) convenes a network to collectively increase supports and programming for LGBTQ+ youth – particularly during the summer months. Libraries, after school programs, recreation programs, and other youth settings want to include LGBTQ+ youth in programs, but aren’t sure how!

LGBTQ+ kids just seem to fall off the face of the earth in summer! I know many are not OUT at home. They are not connected to their peers as they are in school. I worry about them…. GSTA Advisor

This project: Increases summer opportunities for LGBTQ+ Youth. In the first year, we create the capacity and initiate programming. We

Convene a network. Opportunities include:
- - Sharing ways to invite LGBTQ+ youth into existing programs, or expand reach to LGBTQ+ youth without adding new programs or staff
  - Attending training and receiving resources from OUT Maine, the state’s LGBTQ+ youth-only focused service provider. OUT Maine provides resources and programming for youth, schools, providers, and parents
  - Receiving micro-grants to help implement changes (maybe food for a first meeting, or reimbursement for gas for a driver, a few extra hours of staff time, for instance)
Engage a group of LGBTQ+ youth to help plan and strengthen the programs
Promote the programming for all partners as appropriate
Help link the youth with the partners with increased connections to and supports for LGBTQ+ Youth to Experience more Summer Supports – YeSS

More information:

Overview of the LGBTQ+ YeSS Project – and how to become a network partner|
Why do LGBTQ+ Youth need to be intentionally included and have LGBTQ+ only resources?
- - Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, (MIYHS) LGBT Fact Sheet highlights some of the challenges self-reported by LGBTQ+ Youth in 2019. The 2021 data analysis will be released in summer 2021.
  - A brief PowerPoint Presentation highlights minority stress as also a contributing factor.
Another Maine-based resource, the LGBTQ+ SupportME Network, a group of adults who are increasing their skills to support LGBTQ+ Youth, meet virtually the first Wednesday of each month at 11:00. Contact April Hughes to get connected. Find resources on the website at www.lgbtqsupportme.org.
Register for the February 9, 2022 LGBTQ+ Youth Cultural Competence training with OUT Maine – Registration link will be live in mid-December. Here is the flyer.

Check back here for more information as the program develops.

Contact: Joanne Joy, [email protected] 207-588-5350