Making It Better Today The Simcoe County LGBT

Making It Better Today: The Simcoe County LGBT Youth Needs Assessment Report Presentation to Coalition Planning Table Ligaya Byrch November 13, 2012

Collaborative • • AIDS Committee of Simcoe County Byrch Consulting & Associates Canadian Mental Health Association Mental Health $ Addictions Services of Simcoe County Kinark LGBT Youth. Line O. S. S. T. F. District 17, Human Rights Committee Rainbow Health Ontario

The evaluation process • A total of 157 LGBT youth, allies, service providers and educators participated in online surveys, focus groups and participatory art methods from August 2011 to January 2012 • 50 community consultation surveys completed • 67 LGBT youth completed an online survey • 2 youth focus groups • 30 participants in a participatory art

Community-Based Needs Assessment Model

Some key findings from the community consultations • 83% of participants identified that they provide a safe space for LGBT youth, however only 4% of the youth who participated identified that they access a community organization for support • 58% of participants reported receiving requests for support for youth however, at the time of this survey, the only LGBT specific supports available to youth are GSAs and the LGBT Youth. Line • Community organizations made up 38% of the respondents and educational institutions made up 26% of the respondents • 58% of respondents provide direct service to youth, while 12% were in management, 18% in coordination roles and 6% responsible for policy development • Only 41% of respondents felt they had adequate training on LGBT issues

Some key findings from the youth survey • • 47% of respondents heard homophobic comments on a daily basis while 32% heard transphobic and negative gender related comments daily While 75% of youth wanted community-based programs, 70% of youth felt there was a need for community-based programs, 70% of youth also felt there was a need for community-based mental health programs Social participation opportunities were most important for LGBT youth as 80% of participants requested LGBT dances and 77% would like another GSA conference 51% of participants are dealing with verbal harassment about their LGBT identity 24% of youth have thoughts of ending their life and 33% are dealing with anxiety, depression or self-harm 24% identified substance-use as an issue they are dealing with Overall, 42% of youth identified that they are struggling with parental and family acceptance 22% of youth who participated identified that spirituality and religion is an issue that they are currently struggling with

Some key findings from the LGBT Youth focus groups • Respondents identified themes around safety, support, barriers and experiences of oppression • The interconnection among these themes must be understood in the development of space for LGBT youth • LGBT youth felt that there was a need for both LGBT friendly and LGBT specific services • Differences emerged between youth who had supports in their school environment and those that did not • There was a divide between supported youth who want integration and youth who are unsupported and are seeking more LGBT identity development, validation around their experiences of oppression and an LGBT community that is visible

Future Considerations Adults, just like youth also need access to services including: • LGBT parenting and LGBT parenting options • Supporting school aged children with LGBT parents • Lack of supportive health care providers • Social opportunities and community-building • LGBT positive counselors, mental health workers and social workers

10 Action Steps 1. Acknowledge 2. Understand 3. Collaborate 4. Motivate 5. Encourage 6. Request 7. Adopt 8. Make 9. Commit 10. Assist

Motion That the Coalition Planning Table agrees that the needs of LGBT youth and their families is important, and that the Coalition Planning Table support the work of Coalition members by being inclusive of all diverse populations representative of the children, youth and families of Simcoe County including those who identify as LGBT.