Summer camp for LGBTQ+ teens is a safe haven for identity

Lake Park Society’s Camp Kin is a daytime summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth ages seven to 12 and allies to participate in summer activities while fostering connections with youth and counselors they can relate to. The Camp is available at a sliding-scale rate — from free to full cost at $300 — and provides a safe space for youth to come out of their shells and feel supported.

At the Crenshaw YMCA, Black men and youth are able to get together to play basketball as community leaders discuss mental health with those in attendance on the court, working to break centuries of stigma surrounding Black men and mental health. Playing basketball and working at the YMCA offers a sense of community and shows youth there are other ways to express their emotions besides resorting to violence.

Organizations like OutFront are offering safe spaces with a variety of programs and services for LGBTQ+ youth. From providing access to education and accurate information to connecting youth with LGBTQ+ mentors and providing housing for those experiencing homelessness, OutFront allows LGBTQ+ youth to form connections and community in person and online through the group’s Discord server.

The Boys to Men Mentoring Network aims to create nurturing, intentional spaces for boys to connect to build mindful relationships with safe, trusted men in the community. The Network hosts weekly talking circle support groups in 20 area middle and high schools where male mentors share their life experiences and lessons learned. Group data has shown that boys who participate in the weekly talking circles have improved grades, fewer disciplinary problems, increased emotional intelligence and improved social skills.

The Affirming Spaces Project (ASP) helps local businesses create more affirming spaces for transgender and nonbinary employees and customers by providing training on topics like gender identity, pronoun use and how to use affirming language. Businesses that complete training get added to ASP’s database of affirming businesses and receive a decal to place in their storefront window. The database currently has more than 60 local businesses and organizations listed.

The Restorative Suspension Center provides a space for students facing suspension to work with staff to change their behavior. The Center provides mentoring and group sessions with their peers and also teaches coping skills to prevent those bad behaviors. Since starting the program, the Lynchburg City School District has seen an 86% decrease in discipline referrals.

Nour Sarah is a collaboration between two non-profits — Spectrum and LebMASH — that aims to help LGBTQ+ people in the North African and West Asian region understand their mental health issues and receive support services. Nour Sarah aims to provide safe care to those who need it in spaces where it’s historically hard to find. The group hosts educational sessions and connects people with counselors trained to provide care to LGBTQ+ people who are drastically under-supported when it comes to accessing mental health care.

The Gonzales Youth Council, which consists of middle and high school students, took matters into their own hands when it comes to helping their peers address mental health. Through surveys and meetings with school and local government administrators, the Council started facilitating mental health check-ins on Instagram, sharing self-care and coping tips and even seeking training for youth on how to respond when their peers are experiencing a mental health crisis.

Fearing that consistent homophobic street harassment by a resource center for queer youth was detrimental to their mental health and safety, activists set up a weekly counter protest to drown out the harmful messages. The counter-protest grew from a single person to the Pride Corner on Whyte movement with several hundred social media followers. Over time, the participation of dozens of unhoused and housed queer and trans youth provided opportunities for social service outreach, including a mentorship program that paired youth with older queer and trans participants who offer friendship and emotional support.

Programs like the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) advocate for and provide support to youth caregivers who are responsible for caring for sick, elderly, or adults with disabilities at home. AACY’s Youth Caregiver Project provides support in school and at home by offering customized services based on each student’s needs, including tutoring, counseling and even connections to food resources or school supplies. AACY serves about 600 students in 30 schools each year. Since the Youth Caregiver Project began in the late 1990s, about 2,000 youth have completed the program.