NCJ Number
189142
Date Published
December 2000
Length
47 pages
Annotation
This manual describes multiple obstacles that confront homosexual youth and restrict their chances for successful lives, suggest initial steps that mentoring programs can take so that they will feel safe and welcoming to these youth, and explores the implications for training mentors.
Abstract
The text emphasizes that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth must cope not only with the challenges experienced by all adolescents but also with prejudice, discrimination, and verbal and physical violence in their schools and families. Mentoring programs and their volunteers are attentive to other circumstances that make youths' lives difficult, but they may overlook the feelings of isolation and fear caused by a youth's sexual orientation. Steps that organizations can take to create a setting in which homosexual youth feel accepted and safe include becoming knowledgeable about the issues experienced by sexual minority youth, and learning about available resources. Additional steps include developing a resource list, using inclusive language, establishing guidelines that protect the young people in the program, and being attentive to what materials and artwork are visible in the office. Training programs should also integrate information about the challenges specific to homosexual youth. Resources lists and appended background information and additional training materials and suggestions